Senator Brian Jones: Special legislative session on rising gas prices a good idea, just a little late

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 13, 2022

CONTACT: Nina Krishel @ 916.651.4038; nina.krishel@sen.ca.gov

Jones will introduce measure to cut state gas taxes and fees to immediately reduce prices by $1 per gallon

El CAJON – Senator Brian W. Jones (R-Santee) today issued the following statement about Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent call for a special legislative session on rising gas prices to convene on December 5^th:

“Back in the summer of 2021 many of us started pushing Governor Newsom and Democrat legislators to suspend the state’s gas tax when California’s average gas price was still under $4 per gallon. The Governor and the Democrat legislative leaders stalled and stalled and stalled until finally coming up with a half-baked, too little, too late, ‘rebate’ that most Californians still haven’t seen.

“During those 16 months, had the state gas tax been cut or suspended, the price of gas in California would have been reduced anywhere between 50 cents and $1 per gallon. Many of us have repeatedly tried to get the state gas tax cut during that time. Again, the Democrat politicians stalled and blocked us.

“Now with gas prices at over $6 per gallon, Newsom and Democrat legislative leaders have finally called a special legislative session but only to finger-point at big bad corporations, talk about implementing a so-called tax hike on gasoline producers, and otherwise strut, pose, and carryon in front of the cameras to look like they’re doing something.

“Only in California would Democrat politicians complain about high gas prices and then proclaim the solution is yet another tax, which will be coincidentally voted on a month after the election. When will they realize our gas prices are so high because of high taxes, high fees, and overregulation?

“In any case, on that first day of the special session, I will introduce a measure to once again attempt to suspend the entire state gas tax and lower gas prices by $1 per gallon. I can only hope my Democrat colleagues in the Senate will finally see the seriousness of the issue and stop playing games.”