Sacramento, CA – As the Legislature and Governor continue to blame high gas prices on “price gouging”, the small, family and primarily minority owned gas stations and fuel distributors offer the following response:

We are deeply disappointed that the Governor and some in the Legislature continue to ignore the true reasons for high gas prices in California, and instead have decided to deflect blame onto not only oil companies, but our small business owners as well (many of whom immigrated to this country in search of a better life). The Governor’s recent proposal would add yet another tax to the cost of fuel, further burdening consumers, and failing to meaningfully address the root causes of the state’s persistently high gas prices.

Over the past decade, the Legislature and Governor have passed dozens of state mandates that have increased costs, reduced refinery capacity, and overburdened the entire supply chain for fuel delivery. At the same time, the unelected bureaucrats at CARB have passed dozens more regulations, driving fuel costs even higher. This is all on top of countless permits and fees, increasing labor costs, and other operating costs unique to California. Unfortunately, the Governor has continued to use “price gouging” as a scape goat, assuming that Californians can’t see through the excessive layers of the State’s own red tape.

“Before the Legislature considers another tax proposal that once again claims to solve California’s high gas prices, members must consider the facts, and the facts are that the Legislature has passed bill after bill to reduce supply, strangle refineries, and add cost to fuel marketers, all while demand has not changed” said Elizabeth Graham, Executive Director of the California Fuels and Convenience Alliance. “If the State truly wants to bring down costs it should remove the excessive, government-imposed barriers that reduce supply and drive-up prices. We are more than ready to offer our expertise in finding true solutions to high gas prices.”