California Lawmakers to Consider Gov. Newsom’s Windfall Tax on Oil Companies

California Lawmakers to Consider Gov. Newsom’s Windfall Tax on Oil Companies
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a press conference in Sacramento, Calif., on Feb. 1, 2023. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Jill McLaughlin
Updated:
0:00

California lawmakers will hold a special public hearing Feb. 22 to consider Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to impose a windfall tax on oil companies.

The proposal would place mandatory caps on oil refinery profits and add industry regulations and oversight, according to the governor.

The state Senate committee meeting comes months after Newsom first started accusing larger oil companies of price gouging and proposed the tax last year as gas prices skyrocketed at the pump, reaching $6.44 in June and $6.42 in October on average.

“Let’s be clear: Big Oil has been screwing us,” Newsom said during a five-minute video posted Jan. 26.

“This fall, Californians were once again saddled with record gas prices as big oil reached record profits,” he said. “This time, though, we’re going to do something about it.”

Gas prices are displayed at an Exxon gas station in San Francisco, Calif., on July 5, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Gas prices are displayed at an Exxon gas station in San Francisco, Calif., on July 5, 2022. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The governor said the penalty would not become another gas tax for Californians while oil industry officials claimed it would.

“I think it’s important that Californians understand this is a tax,” Western States Petroleum Association spokesman Kevin Slagle told The Epoch Times. “The governor can call it whatever he wants, but it’s a tax. And when you tax a commodity like fuels that usually impacts costs at the pump.”

Californians currently pay 53.9 cents of tax per gallon—the highest in the nation—after raising its gas tax rate in July. Additionally, the state adds federal excise tax and environmental cap-and-trade fees to that, bringing the total to about $1.28 a gallon.

Nicole Jacobs, spokeswoman for Energy In Depth, told The Epoch Times that Newsom’s “price-gouging” penalty was an attempt to shift blame from what’s actually causing high prices.

She said that Californians pay the most because of multiple factors, including “high taxes, a lack of infrastructure, and misguided policies that stifle investment and force the state to import increasing volumes of foreign oil.”

“The solution to combat high prices at the pump is more domestic energy production, not less,” she added.

The Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Communications is expected to start the public hearing at 1:30 p.m.

Sen. Brian Dahle (R-Bieber), who serves as vice chair of the senate committee hearing the proposal, and a group of Republican legislators asked Newsom Feb. 21 to take several steps to avoid rising fuel costs, which, Dahle said on social media, are “crushing Californians in just about every aspect of life.”
The legislators’ letter asked the governor to stop an 8-percent gas-tax hike set for July 1, extend the diesel tax holiday that will expire Sept. 30, and delay the state’s yearly transition to an emissions-reducing summer-blend gasoline that adds as much as 28 cents per gallon.
Jill McLaughlin
Jill McLaughlin
Author
Jill McLaughlin is an award-winning journalist covering politics, environment, and statewide issues. She has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Oregon, Nevada, and New Mexico. Jill was born in Yosemite National Park and enjoys the majestic outdoors, traveling, golfing, and hiking.
Related Topics