Feel the spike in California gas prices

The spike in gas prices on November 1st should have been no surprise to motorists. The increase comes from the state legislature’s 12-cent-per-gallon gas tax passed on April 28. The tax also raised diesel prices 20 cents per gallon and adds up to $150 in additional DMV fees to annual vehicle registration.

Within 24 hours of the tax’s implementation, the gas hike was felt at almost every station in the county. Eleven stations immediately shot up to over $3.80 a gallon (regular gas, cash price). Two — the 76 stations at 3860 Kearny Mesa Road,and 801 Pearl Avenue hit $4.00; the Chevron station at 1999 Sweetwater Road in National City topped out at $4.09.

Patrick DeHaan of Petroleum Analysis USA reported, “The increase will push California’s state gasoline taxes to nearly 55 cents per gallon from the current 41.47 cents, putting it in second place behind Pennsylvania for the nation’s highest state gasoline tax.”

The tax is expected to raise $5.2 billion annually for road and bridge repair. Critics point out the new tax will not add one new lane of freeway and much of the money will go to local municipalities, not state highways.

“It will go for cockamamie B.S. like buses and bike lanes,” said KFI AM 640’s talk host John Kobylt, who along with AM 600 KOGO talker Carl DeMaio, is heavily involved on their daily radio shows with reformcalifornia.org, an organization trying to repeal the gas tax.

Backed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the group announced on October 30 that their initiative petition to roll back the gas and car taxes becomes available for signature gathering on November 27. The organization hopes to get the measure on the ballot for the state’s June 2018 primary election.

The tax increase came on the same day Southern California started switching to its cheaper “winter blend” gas. But, DeHaan reports, “The slightly lower cost will not absorb much of the rise in gasoline taxes.”