Posted on 01/30/2019 10:42:52 PM PST by lowbridge
California has the second highest fuel costs in the nation, with gas prices only rising in recent years.
A committee working on behalf of the California Energy Commission discovered an “unexplained surcharge” in September 2017 costing Californians over $17 billion since February 2015, or $1,700 for a family of four.
Now, nearly a year and a half later, lawmakers are taking notice.
Nineteen Democrats sent a letter to Attorney General Xavier Becerra earlier this week asking him to lead an investigation.
“There is a surcharge that began showing up between refineries and our gas tanks in the distribution and retailing network in California that began in California in 2015,” said Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-Greenbrae.
In the letter, Levine and his colleagues told Becerra the surcharge averaged 2 cents per gallon from 2000 to 2014 but soared in 2015 after the Torrance refinery fire. The cost spiked to an average of 24 cents a gallon in 2018.
UC Berkeley Professor Severin Borenstein chaired the Petroleum Market Advisory Committee, which authored the report for the state’s energy commission.
Borenstein said in the report that, even when accounting for California’s gasoline tax and greenhouse gas reduction costs, prices have “exhibited a continuous and unexplained differential compared to the rest of the country.”
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Funniest part of this story is how the dumbasses of California believe that their “elected” dumbasses actually want an investigation! “Because we care” hahahahahahahahahaha
The state gets pretty upset when someone besides them tacks on fees on gasoline. When they do it, it’s a righteous move of course.
Sounds like they think a crime may have been committed. I can think of one the state perpetrated on the public.
Of course, it was old as a necessity, and my brain dead fellow Californian’s voted for it.
How can you explain people this absolutely stupid?
Still, gas has dipped below $3 in the last month
...
That’s the Trump discount.
Sure, hike the gas tax an extra cent to pay for the investigation and let's find out.
More hilarity from the land of fruits and nuts.
Right now, Kalifornia has dropped into 2nd place, as good ol' Pennsylvania pulled into the lead, thanks to our coalition of Rats'n'Rinos.
But it looks like Kalifornia will regain their no. 1 status this year with a healthy 7.5 cent increase in July.
One of the highest gas taxes in the country, carbon taxes, special formula so CA is cut off from the rest of the national gas market, all imposed by Democrats and now they are complaining of the results of their own policies.
I bet gas is cheaper in Hawaii.
If it moves tax it (or control it). This will not stand, as CALPers moves towards bankruptcy, CA is so messed up, it will all have to change or it will be Venezuela without it's own currency.
FWIW, I recently drove a full size van full of occupants and I was stunned. It hauled even with a full load, great throttle response, and no lag which had me wondering if this big 3 sponsored vehicle had something greater than a V8 under the hood or a supercharger.
No, it was Natural Gas Powered. With these engines cleaner on average by 30% this is a no brainer for CA other than the cost of the retrofit hardware and compared to boutique blend gasoline, why CA didn't mandate this, I'll never understand.
Don’t forget a really cold winter in a lot of the rest of the country and maxed out refining capacity. :-)
You nailed it.
What would happen if nobody was willing to refine it for them? Can the Gov just declare it an emergency and let any type of gas in? If so, why have the law?
You are correct, sir!
Gas Buddy website shows Honolulu at $2.97...L.A. at $3.73.
From looking at the charts of gas prices in California versus the national average, it appears something around three months ago kicked in another 30 cents premium.
It’s also very likely that those stupid Cafe blends California demands are adding significant costs.
L
Funny - the lawmakers who made the tax laws that make it so expensive demand an investigation of themselves....can’t make this crap up.
Biloxi area has Premium for under $2.50 ... was under $2.30 a few weeks ago but crude keeps creeping up.
Borenstein said in the report that, even when accounting for California’s gasoline tax and greenhouse gas reduction costs, prices have “exhibited a continuous and unexplained differential compared to the rest of the country.”
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Well, idiots!, let me explain it for you. YOUR Democratic Party controls gasoline prices in California! Period!
Laughably, your calling for an investigation of yourselves!
I was in Hawaii in September. Filled my rental car up twice. Gas was a few cents cheaper than in Cali.
As low as $1.87 in TX.
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