California drivers can expect the state’s gas tax to increase by 2.2 cents on July 1, bringing the total tax to 63.4 cents a gallon. This change will drive up gas prices in the state, which consistently has the nation’s highest prices.
Impact on Families
According to Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, the increase will disproportionately affect hardworking families who are already struggling to make ends meet. "For our hardworking California families – at a time when Democrats and Republicans say the No. 1 issue is affordability – we’re making it harder to make ends meet," Strickland said.
Strickland also noted that higher gas prices will not only hurt those who use gas at the pump but also increase grocery costs. "Your eggs, your milk, your vegetables, your fruit, higher gas prices get pushed on that. So you have higher grocery costs because of this," he explained.
Comparison to Other States
Several other states have suspended their state gas taxes due to rising gas prices. In Georgia, the Legislature temporarily suspended the state’s gas tax after prices surpassed $3 a gallon, which is significantly lower than gas prices in California.
According to AAA, California’s gas prices decreased slightly to $5.61 a gallon on Friday, down from $5.64 a gallon on Thursday. The national average on Friday was $3.97 a gallon. Mono County had the most expensive gas prices in California, with an average gallon of gas costing $6.88.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
