Culver City Observer -

Frustrated that gas prices in California are the highest in the nation and $1.38/gallon above the national average? Democrats don't care. In fact, Assembly Democrats today joined Senate Democrats and Gavin Newsom in deciding prices aren't high enough.

After negotiating a deal behind closed doors and with little to no time for public debate or fiscal review, Legislative Democrats have sent a reckless and irresponsible bill to Newsom's desk that will assuredly raise gas prices on Californians already struggling to make ends meet. Since Newsom has been pushing for this new gas tax since late last year, there isn't much suspense on whether he will sign the bill into law.

Gavin Newsom and California Democrats, including Esmeralda Soria, Pilar Schiavo, Sabrina Cervantes, Melissa Hurtado, Josh Newman, Dave Min, and Catherine Blakespear, now own the gas price increase that will head to Californians across the state.

Democrats can call this a penalty on oil companies all they want, but let's call it what it really is: a gas tax. Already contributing to California's sky-high gas prices are excessive state taxes, special fuel blends only found here, aggressive regulations and more. These are all self-inflicted price gougers that Democrats could tackle to bring down prices, but they'd rather point the finger elsewhere and keep collecting taxpayers' hard-earned money.

When have added regulations, taxes and fees ever lowered prices for consumers? Instead, this new tax will lead to less oil production and fuel shortages, it will decrease competition, and it will kill California jobs while leaving Californians to suffer through higher gas prices.

"If it's a day that ends in Y, it's a day California Democrats are looking for new ways to tax hardworking Californians who are already struggling under the weight of our state's sky-high prices. The answer to bringing down California's highest-in-the-nation gas prices won't be found by adding more taxes and regulations, but rather by reducing the taxes and regulations that are driving costs up in the first place. Unfortunately, greedy Gavin Newsom and California Democrats have money on their minds with plans to collect from gas consumers across the state."