STATE — Tensions are at a boiling point over gas prices, new gas taxes and the potential for $8 for one gallon of gas by late next year.
On July 1, the state’s gas tax will automatically increase by 2 cents per gallon under Senate Bill 1, along with a new regulation from the California Air Resources Board expected to increase prices up to 67 cents per gallon, according a study from the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. CARB’s projections showed prices would increase up to 47 cents per gallon.
As a result, many state legislators are hitting the panic button as the impending closure of two oil refineries are projected to send gas prices even higher. Several weeks ago, the issue exploded when a study from the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business projected prices could reach $8 per gallon by 2026 due to the refinery closures….
