Wonder why Californians pay so much for gas? Taxes, regulations and policy choices are to blame.

This article originally appeared in The Orange County Register on October 28, 2023. 

For far too long, Californians have been paying more at the pump than their fellow Americans. The surge in gasoline prices in the Golden State has raised eyebrows and left many wondering why filling their tanks now means emptying their wallets. The answer, quite simply, is supply and demand influenced by a destructive web of government policies. California’s high gas prices didn’t happen by accident. Sacramento’s policies play a pivotal role in this crisis.

In response to the public fuming over these high prices, the Governor announced the state will transition early to winter-blend gasoline, which is somewhat cheaper to produce, but still expensive. Like the arsonist who rushes to put out the fire he started, the Governor is trying to tamp down the flames of an angry constituency.

Read full op-ed in The Orange County Register.