California bill to suspend gas tax fails despite rising prices

(The Center Square) – A bill to suspend California’s gas tax for one year failed in committee at the Capitol.

State Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach and author of Senate Bill 1035, told journalists Wednesday afternoon outside the same Sacramento committee room that California prices are only going to rise at the pump. He blamed the state’s policies for often allowing price hikes.

“Here in California, because we rely so much on foreign oil, we put ourselves in this position,” Strickland said in response to a question from The Center Square. “Because of anti-business policies, we just lost Phillips 66 and Valero’s shutting down. Now my bill is the only thing we really have right now to give immediate relief to hardworking California families.”

The bill was rejected Wednesday by the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.

In addition to suspending the state’s gas...