Gas Prices

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California’s ‘Scarcity Mindset’

The late, great comedian Sam Kinison once said that instead of sending food to starving nations, we should send U-Hauls because, he would scream, “there wouldn’t be world hunger if you people would live where the food is! You live in a desert, understand that?! Nothing grows out of here!” ...
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Higher Energy Prices Could Cost Families Over $1,100 in 2026

Californians face a $1,518 increase in energy costs – higher than the $1,120 increase faced by the average U.S. family and much higher than $809 increase New York residents will see.[1]The below map illustrates the estimated increase in annual energy expenditures between 2025 and 2026 should the current elevated prices ...
Blog

Trading Road Repairs For Green Jet Fuel — Is This A Deal That Californians Want To Make?

Only one state, Alaska, has worse roads than California. Tens of billions are needed to repair the crumbling, cracking and cratered infrastructure. Nearly a decade ago, legislators passed a $52 billion bill to fix the problems. So, what is Sacramento thinking about? Moving fuel tax revenue dollars that should be used for road repair to fund a scheme to ...
Blog

Valero Out, Gas Prices Up

California’s average price for a gallon of regular unleaded was $4.34 on Feb. 1, the day after Valero began to unwind its refinery. By Feb. 8, consumers were paying on average $4.46 a gallon, the steepest price in the country. Correlation without causation? Possibly. Last year California’s average price increased by 3 cents a gallon from the last ...
Blog

Energy Markets Still Punish Policy Weakness

Venezuela illustrates how quickly political dysfunction can translate into market risk. Once one of the world’s largest oil producers, the country has spent years constrained by mismanagement, corruption, and chronic instability. The consequence is not just lower output. It is persistent uncertainty that markets price in long before any formal ...
Blog

“Nice Try” Won’t Really Lower Prices at Pump for California Drivers

The law required input from the California Air Resources Board to take effect, which recently said the blend “does not pose a significant adverse impact on public health or the environment compared to” the blend that it is replacing. The new blend, E15, is made with up to 15% ethanol, a biofuel produced ...
Blog

There Is No Mystery Surcharge Driving Up California’s Gasoline Costs

Gov. Gavin Newsom continues to puzzle over a “mystery surcharge” for gasoline. The enigmatic fee was first identified in 2017 by Severin Borenstein, an energy economist at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. It explains, he says, “the extra amount we pay for gas that can’t be ...
Blog

California’s Great Gasoline Panic of ‘25

“California’s Refinery Rethink” Politico Pro, Oct. 22 “Newsom Courts Big Oil as Gas Prices Threaten Political Ambition” Bloomberg, Sept. 29 “Faced with looming gasoline shortage, California’s governor backs off oil companies” Le Monde, Oct. 11 “Gas Price Map Shock: Why Gas Is $4.60 in California but $2.60 in Oklahoma?” Autoblog, ...
Blog

Learn about the impact of the latest refinery fire

How Much Will Gas Prices Rise After So Cal Refinery Fire?

Producing 269,000 barrels a day of useful fossil fuels, the El Segundo facility is second in the state only to Marathon’s Los Angeles refinery, which puts out 365,000 barrels a day, good for 22.5% of state’s capacity. The Chevron site provides 20% of motor vehicle fuel in California and 40% of the ...
Blog

Get the inside scoop on what's going on under the Capitol dome

Three Big Issues to Watch as 2025 Legislative Session Draws to Close

Assembly Bill 84:  Yet Another Attack on California Charter Schools Ever since charter school supporter Gov. Jerry Brown left office in 2019, charter schools have been under attack in Sacramento.  The latest attack is Assembly Bill 84 (Muratsuchi), which would – if enacted – would impose huge new restrictions that ...
Blog

California’s ‘Scarcity Mindset’

The late, great comedian Sam Kinison once said that instead of sending food to starving nations, we should send U-Hauls because, he would scream, “there wouldn’t be world hunger if you people would live where the food is! You live in a desert, understand that?! Nothing grows out of here!” ...
Blog

Higher Energy Prices Could Cost Families Over $1,100 in 2026

Californians face a $1,518 increase in energy costs – higher than the $1,120 increase faced by the average U.S. family and much higher than $809 increase New York residents will see.[1]The below map illustrates the estimated increase in annual energy expenditures between 2025 and 2026 should the current elevated prices ...
Blog

Trading Road Repairs For Green Jet Fuel — Is This A Deal That Californians Want To Make?

Only one state, Alaska, has worse roads than California. Tens of billions are needed to repair the crumbling, cracking and cratered infrastructure. Nearly a decade ago, legislators passed a $52 billion bill to fix the problems. So, what is Sacramento thinking about? Moving fuel tax revenue dollars that should be used for road repair to fund a scheme to ...
Blog

Valero Out, Gas Prices Up

California’s average price for a gallon of regular unleaded was $4.34 on Feb. 1, the day after Valero began to unwind its refinery. By Feb. 8, consumers were paying on average $4.46 a gallon, the steepest price in the country. Correlation without causation? Possibly. Last year California’s average price increased by 3 cents a gallon from the last ...
Blog

Energy Markets Still Punish Policy Weakness

Venezuela illustrates how quickly political dysfunction can translate into market risk. Once one of the world’s largest oil producers, the country has spent years constrained by mismanagement, corruption, and chronic instability. The consequence is not just lower output. It is persistent uncertainty that markets price in long before any formal ...
Blog

“Nice Try” Won’t Really Lower Prices at Pump for California Drivers

The law required input from the California Air Resources Board to take effect, which recently said the blend “does not pose a significant adverse impact on public health or the environment compared to” the blend that it is replacing. The new blend, E15, is made with up to 15% ethanol, a biofuel produced ...
Blog

There Is No Mystery Surcharge Driving Up California’s Gasoline Costs

Gov. Gavin Newsom continues to puzzle over a “mystery surcharge” for gasoline. The enigmatic fee was first identified in 2017 by Severin Borenstein, an energy economist at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. It explains, he says, “the extra amount we pay for gas that can’t be ...
Blog

California’s Great Gasoline Panic of ‘25

“California’s Refinery Rethink” Politico Pro, Oct. 22 “Newsom Courts Big Oil as Gas Prices Threaten Political Ambition” Bloomberg, Sept. 29 “Faced with looming gasoline shortage, California’s governor backs off oil companies” Le Monde, Oct. 11 “Gas Price Map Shock: Why Gas Is $4.60 in California but $2.60 in Oklahoma?” Autoblog, ...
Blog

Learn about the impact of the latest refinery fire

How Much Will Gas Prices Rise After So Cal Refinery Fire?

Producing 269,000 barrels a day of useful fossil fuels, the El Segundo facility is second in the state only to Marathon’s Los Angeles refinery, which puts out 365,000 barrels a day, good for 22.5% of state’s capacity. The Chevron site provides 20% of motor vehicle fuel in California and 40% of the ...
Blog

Get the inside scoop on what's going on under the Capitol dome

Three Big Issues to Watch as 2025 Legislative Session Draws to Close

Assembly Bill 84:  Yet Another Attack on California Charter Schools Ever since charter school supporter Gov. Jerry Brown left office in 2019, charter schools have been under attack in Sacramento.  The latest attack is Assembly Bill 84 (Muratsuchi), which would – if enacted – would impose huge new restrictions that ...
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