Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Sending Gas Money to California Taxpayers May Aid State Budget
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 3 years ago on
March 12, 2022

Share

 

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to send people another round of government checks, this time to help offset the record high cost of gas, will do more than just win him political points in an election year — it could help him balance the state’s budget.

California had a record surplus last year and while not as large this year the excess could still reach $29 billion. The state constitution limits how much money the Legislature can spend each year through a complex formula based on how much money the state collects in taxes. The state has rarely surpassed the limit in the more than four decades it’s been on the books.

State Revenues Exceed Legal Limit

But revenues have been climbing so fast that Newsom expects the state to be at least $2.6 billion past the limit this year and perhaps much more.

Newsom and state lawmakers have a few options to get back under the limit. They can cut taxes, spend more money on things such as infrastructure and public education, or return money to taxpayers. That last option has been the most popular choice. Last year, the state sent $10.9 billion in rebates to taxpayers who met certain income requirements.

Newsom had not proposed any new rebates so far this year. But Tuesday, he included a surprise proposal in his annual State of the State address: A rebate to help people pay for the high cost of fuel. His announcement came just hours after President Joe Biden banned oil imports from Russia in response to that nation’s invasion of Ukraine, a decision that will likely further increase California’s record-setting gas prices.

“There’s news that’s evolving every day on these questions, and we’re trying to keep up and make sure that we can keep up with protecting Californians,” said Jason Elliott, Newsom’s senior adviser.

Rebate Details Unclear

The proposal is so new there aren’t many details. Dee Dee Myers, another Newsom senior adviser, said one idea is to make the rebate available for people who have a car and live in California, regardless of their immigration status. She said the cost “will be in the billions” but it’s unclear how much people would get individually. It’s likely the state’s Democratic legislative leaders will want to focus the rebate so the rich don’t get the same amount as the poor.

It’s also not clear how much the proposal would help keep the state under the spending limit. In general, every $1 above the limit requires $1.60 of response. Newsom has already proposed $19.2 billion in spending on things such as building maintenance, drought response and transportation projects to help get the state under the limit.

The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office says more action will likely be needed. The agency predicts there is a 90% chance revenues for the current budget year will continue to grow and could exceed expectations by as little as $5 billion or as much as $20 billion.

That means any rebate proposal likely won’t be enough on its own to address the problem. Myers said the Newsom administration is more focused on how the rebate would help drivers instead of how it would help meet the spending limit.

“This would put money directly into the pockets of people,” she said.

California’s gas tax is 51.1 cents per gallon, the second highest in the nation. It’s scheduled to increase slightly for inflation on July 1. Newsom has proposed pausing that increase for one year, a move that would save drivers about $1.30 per month, according to Transportation California, a nonpartisan business and labor coalition.

State Republicans Call for Gas Tax Suspension

California Republicans have backed a competing proposal that would suspend California’s gas tax for six months. Republican Assemblymember Kevin Kiley, the author of that proposal, said it would be “the quickest and easiest and most meaningful form of relief we could offer.”

“There’s no need for any sort of complicated rebate program that’s going to take a lot of time,” he said.

Republicans, however, don’t have the numbers in the state Legislature to pass their bill. The top two Democrats in the Legislature — Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins — don’t support it, and they also don’t support pausing the gas tax increase, saying “our focus cannot be a small cut to the gas tax that might not get passed on to consumers.”

Suspending the gas tax, they say, would take “critical funds away from road repair and improvement.” Instead, the leaders indicated they would do something similar to what Newsom proposed by seeking “tax relief from the General Fund.”

California Gas Prices Highest in U.S.

The average price for a gallon of regular gas in California was a record $5.57 on Wednesday, the highest in the country, according to AAA.

In the small community of Plumas Lake, about 30 miles north of Sacramento, regular gas was selling for just under $6 per gallon on Wednesday morning.

“It’s crazy. But, I mean, what am I going to do? I can’t do anything about it,” said Viridiana Manriquez, 26, as she filled up her car.

George Thelen, 78, paid $74.65 to fill up his work truck on his way to a job. He said he routinely drives more than 100 miles per day for his construction business.

Thelen said he’s raised his prices to compensate for rising fuel costs. But a fix is on the way: He’s ordered an electric car he plans to turn into a work vehicle by removing some of the seats.

Meantime, he said he’s not too worried about customers getting upset with him about raising his prices.

“There’s a labor shortage,” he said, pausing to pull his ringing cellphone from his front shirt pocket. “And my phone is ringing off the hook.”

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Yastrzemski and Chapman Homers Help Giants Rally Past the Brewers

DON'T MISS

Fresno City Council Finally Passes a Tough Smoke Shop Ordinance

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified Trustee Wittrup Says District Had Stronger Candidates Than Misty Her

DON'T MISS

Trump Poised to Offer Saudi Arabia Over $100 Billion Arms Package, Sources Say

DON'T MISS

Lights, Camera, Board Vote: Fresno Unified’s Carefully Choreographed Production

DON'T MISS

US Farm Agency Withdraws Proposal Aimed at Lowering Salmonella Risks in Poultry

DON'T MISS

On Major Economic Decisions, Trump Blinks, and Then Blinks Again

DON'T MISS

Candi Is the Dandy to Add a Little Sweetness to Your Life

DON'T MISS

How Trump Tariffs Could Upend California Farms, Wine Businesses, and Ports

DON'T MISS

Tulare Man Sentenced to State Prison for DUI Crash That Injured Two Women

UP NEXT

Fresno City Council Finally Passes a Tough Smoke Shop Ordinance

UP NEXT

Fresno Unified Trustee Wittrup Says District Had Stronger Candidates Than Misty Her

UP NEXT

Trump Poised to Offer Saudi Arabia Over $100 Billion Arms Package, Sources Say

UP NEXT

Lights, Camera, Board Vote: Fresno Unified’s Carefully Choreographed Production

UP NEXT

US Farm Agency Withdraws Proposal Aimed at Lowering Salmonella Risks in Poultry

UP NEXT

On Major Economic Decisions, Trump Blinks, and Then Blinks Again

UP NEXT

Candi Is the Dandy to Add a Little Sweetness to Your Life

UP NEXT

How Trump Tariffs Could Upend California Farms, Wine Businesses, and Ports

UP NEXT

Tulare Man Sentenced to State Prison for DUI Crash That Injured Two Women

UP NEXT

Judge Partly Blocks Trump Order Seeking to Overhaul US Elections

Trump Poised to Offer Saudi Arabia Over $100 Billion Arms Package, Sources Say

3 hours ago

Lights, Camera, Board Vote: Fresno Unified’s Carefully Choreographed Production

4 hours ago

US Farm Agency Withdraws Proposal Aimed at Lowering Salmonella Risks in Poultry

4 hours ago

On Major Economic Decisions, Trump Blinks, and Then Blinks Again

4 hours ago

Candi Is the Dandy to Add a Little Sweetness to Your Life

5 hours ago

How Trump Tariffs Could Upend California Farms, Wine Businesses, and Ports

5 hours ago

Tulare Man Sentenced to State Prison for DUI Crash That Injured Two Women

6 hours ago

Judge Partly Blocks Trump Order Seeking to Overhaul US Elections

6 hours ago

Two From Search Group That Uncovered Mexico’s ‘Ranch of Horror’ Killed

7 hours ago

US Warns States They Could Lose Transportation Funding Over Immigration, DEI Policies

7 hours ago

Yastrzemski and Chapman Homers Help Giants Rally Past the Brewers

SAN FRANCISCO — Mike Yastrzemski and Matt Chapman homered as the San Francisco Giants rallied to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-5 on Thursday ...

1 hour ago

1 hour ago

Yastrzemski and Chapman Homers Help Giants Rally Past the Brewers

1 hour ago

Fresno City Council Finally Passes a Tough Smoke Shop Ordinance

3 hours ago

Fresno Unified Trustee Wittrup Says District Had Stronger Candidates Than Misty Her

President Donald Trump delivers remarks during an 'Unleashing American Energy' event at the Department of Energy in Washington, U.S., June 29, 2017. (REUTERS File)
3 hours ago

Trump Poised to Offer Saudi Arabia Over $100 Billion Arms Package, Sources Say

4 hours ago

Lights, Camera, Board Vote: Fresno Unified’s Carefully Choreographed Production

Chickens sit at a poultry farm. March 12, 2025. (REUTERS/Diego Vara/File Photo)
4 hours ago

US Farm Agency Withdraws Proposal Aimed at Lowering Salmonella Risks in Poultry

4 hours ago

On Major Economic Decisions, Trump Blinks, and Then Blinks Again

Candi, GV Wire's Adoptable Cat of the Week
5 hours ago

Candi Is the Dandy to Add a Little Sweetness to Your Life

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend