California Democrats not ready to halt gas tax increase in July, opposing Gov. Newsom

Some California Democrats are voicing their opposition to a proposal by Governor Gavin Newsom to halt the gas tax increase planned for July, because they are afraid the loss in state revenue will be too sizable.

Newsom’s proposal is aimed at giving consumers a break at the gas pump in California, where the average price currently leads the nation at $4.72 a gallon, and the gas tax currently sits at 51.1 cents a gallon, second only to Pennsylvania, whose gas tax leads the nation as the highest at 58.7 cents a gallon.

Fellow Democrats say Newsom’s plan to stop the gas take hike scheduled for this year will cost the state about $523 million that would typically be spent on improvements to roads, bridges, and other infrastructural necessities.

“I certainly have concerns,” said Assembly Speaker Anthony Renden. “That’s something that could potentially jeopardize a tremendous amount of jobs in this state, it could inhibit some economic growth.”

Republicans are largely on the side of halting the tax per Newsom’s plan. “Sacramento Democrats are tone deaf if they think people don’t need a break at the pump,” said Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk this week.