Californians already pay the highest gas tax in the country, at nearly 60 cents a gallon.
An increasingly bitter back-and-forth between Gov. Gavin Newsom's office and State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, of Santee, is playing out on social media. It is fueled by concerns over two gas refineries closing down, which could cause gas prices to go up, according to one USC professor's report, by up to 75%.
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WATCH HERE"We are now, as a result of these refineries closing, on the precipice of an economic disaster,” Jones said. "California families are already struggling."
Jones said regulatory policies are causing refineries to leave California.
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SIGN UP A spokesperson for Newsom said, "Just last month, the Governor directed the state to redouble efforts to work with refiners to ensure a safe, affordable and reliable supply of gasoline. We thank Senate Republicans for highlighting the Administration’s work on this critical issue. Governor Newsom will keep fighting to protect Californians from price spikes at the pump."
David Pettit with the Center for Biological Diversity said there can be a political benefit for highly-regulated refineries threatening to shut down. He said California's regulation policies are meant to keep pollution in check.
“It comes down to one thing, and that's clean air. California has the worst air in the country,” Pettit said. "That's why the gasoline prices are where they are.”
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USC Professor Michael Mische's research shows prices could soar to more than $8 per gallon if both refineries close, but he acknowledges those numbers are liable to change. The governor's office on X criticized the study for being "unsourced." NBC 7 asked Mische where his numbers came from, and he cited the California Energy Commission and Federal Energy Information Administration.
“So we have 20 or 30 different variations of the model, and in all cases, you know, it indicates gasoline going up for the consumer,” Mische said. “I think that there's a fairly genuine consensus that, 'Oh, prices are going up,' and the question is by how much?”
