Chronic. California prides itself on being ahead of its time. “At the forefront of democracy”Governor Gavin Newsom further proclaimed on March 8 in his annual State of the State address: “No place in the world offers so many opportunities to so many people from such different backgrounds. » California remains ” a source of inspiration “he assured.
That is. But if the Golden State is at the forefront these days, it’s mainly for the price of gasoline: more than 5 dollars (4.60 euros) per gallon (3.78 liters), the national record . In California, fuel has always been more expensive than elsewhere. With the global increase in prices, it has reached new heights. On February 24, the date of the invasion of Ukraine, the price per gallon was 4.77 dollars, on March 8 5.57, two days later 5.72. On average, gasoline costs about 30% more than in the rest of the country. The specialized site GasBuddy has flushed out the most expensive pump in the country in Mendocino, a bobo community along the Pacific, 250 kilometers north of San Francisco: 8.45 dollars per gallon.
High-speed train and e-vehicles
Why such a gap with the rest of the country? And where does this money go? The press scrutinized the accounts and showed that most of the additional cost ($1.19 per gallon) comes from taxes related to the environment and infrastructure. The finding delighted Republicans, who for years have accused the environmental lobby of imposing an unsustainable burden on Californian drivers, while the Golden State is one of the states with the largest oil reserves.
According to this calculation, 51 cents go into the state coffers. Nothing more official: Californian voters are known for their generosity; they even agreed to raise the tax by 12 cents in 2017 to speed up the repair of roads and bridges. Twenty-three cents are devoted to the emissions trading program – the cap and trade –, which makes it possible to finance the high-speed train being developed in the Central Valley. Eighteen cents go to a subsidy fund for the purchase of electric cars – one million e-vehicles are on the road in California, the national record; the fund also contributes to the adoption by gasoline suppliers of low-carbon fuels. Finally, 2 cents are collected from every gallon to offset the impact of leaks caused by underground fuel storage.
“Ghost Tax”
As meticulous as it is, this accounting does not explain all the difference in price. Consumer organizations have unearthed a mysterious additional charge of 20 to 30 cents, described by experts as “ghost tax”. This time, environmentalists have nothing to do with it. These are the companies that are singled out and accused of taking advantage of high prices in California to slip in some bonuses. On March 10, elected Democrat Ben Allen introduced a bill requiring oil companies to publish their accounts each month to “dispel the smoke screen” maintained around their prices and profits. According to him, California’s five refineries charge higher prices at their California gas stations than in the rest of the country.
You have 21.02% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.
Chronic. California prides itself on being ahead of its time. “At the forefront of democracy”Governor Gavin Newsom further proclaimed on March 8 in his annual State of the State address: “No place in the world offers so many opportunities to so many people from such different backgrounds. » California remains ” a source of inspiration “he assured.
That is. But if the Golden State is at the forefront these days, it’s mainly for the price of gasoline: more than 5 dollars (4.60 euros) per gallon (3.78 liters), the national record . In California, fuel has always been more expensive than elsewhere. With the global increase in prices, it has reached new heights. On February 24, the date of the invasion of Ukraine, the price per gallon was 4.77 dollars, on March 8 5.57, two days later 5.72. On average, gasoline costs about 30% more than in the rest of the country. The specialized site GasBuddy has flushed out the most expensive pump in the country in Mendocino, a bobo community along the Pacific, 250 kilometers north of San Francisco: 8.45 dollars per gallon.
High-speed train and e-vehicles
Why such a gap with the rest of the country? And where does this money go? The press scrutinized the accounts and showed that most of the additional cost ($1.19 per gallon) comes from taxes related to the environment and infrastructure. The finding delighted Republicans, who for years have accused the environmental lobby of imposing an unsustainable burden on Californian drivers, while the Golden State is one of the states with the largest oil reserves.
According to this calculation, 51 cents go into the state coffers. Nothing more official: Californian voters are known for their generosity; they even agreed to raise the tax by 12 cents in 2017 to speed up the repair of roads and bridges. Twenty-three cents are devoted to the emissions trading program – the cap and trade –, which makes it possible to finance the high-speed train being developed in the Central Valley. Eighteen cents go to a subsidy fund for the purchase of electric cars – one million e-vehicles are on the road in California, the national record; the fund also contributes to the adoption by gasoline suppliers of low-carbon fuels. Finally, 2 cents are collected from every gallon to offset the impact of leaks caused by underground fuel storage.
“Ghost Tax”
As meticulous as it is, this accounting does not explain all the difference in price. Consumer organizations have unearthed a mysterious additional charge of 20 to 30 cents, described by experts as “ghost tax”. This time, environmentalists have nothing to do with it. These are the companies that are singled out and accused of taking advantage of high prices in California to slip in some bonuses. On March 10, elected Democrat Ben Allen introduced a bill requiring oil companies to publish their accounts each month to “dispel the smoke screen” maintained around their prices and profits. According to him, California’s five refineries charge higher prices at their California gas stations than in the rest of the country.
You have 21.02% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.