Why did three Central Valley assemblymen not vote on a procedural motion to allow debate to suspend the gas tax?

Politics 101 asked them and the answers varied.

The vote on Monday — 40-18 — failed along party lines. Voting yes from the Central Valley delegation: Frank Bigelow, R-O’Neals; Jim Patterson, R-Fresno; and Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield.

Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, was the only local Democrat to vote against.

Two other Democrats, Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield and Adam Gray, D-Merced, did not cast votes.

Gray said he supports “putting more money in people’s pockets” but did not vote. In fact, it did not appear he voted at all during the two-hour session Monday.

“The political theater we saw … was a stunt without substance. I’m not interested in empty promises. What I am interested in is how to get the most Californians the most relief,” Gray said.

Salas’ office said the following: “Assemblymember Salas was not on the Floor when the vote occurred, his record is very clean when he was the only Assembly Democrat who voted no on the gas tax.”

Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom is proposing to issue government rebates to residents to offset soaring gas and diesel prices.

A Political Issue

The state GOP is making this an issue. The party blasted the assemblymen on Twitter. Both Gray and Salas are running for Congress in the 13th and 22nd districts respectively.

Gas is the highest it’s ever been in California. Central Valley residents and all Californians could have saved .51¢ per gallon on gas, but @rudysalasjr failed to support a Gas Tax Holiday. #CADeservesBetter pic.twitter.com/eE0oqW8MZv

— CAGOP (@CAGOP) March 15, 2022

Apparently @AdamGrayCA doesn’t think Californians should be able to keep more of their own money during these difficult times of rising inflation and skyrocketing gas prices #CADeservesBetter pic.twitter.com/irrBq4GMVj

— CAGOP (@CAGOP) March 15, 2022

Heath Flora, R-Ripon, was not present. He had an excused absence. His office said he had meetings that day with agricultural leaders outside of Sacramento.

Clovis Scraps Remaining Emergency Orders

Clovis City Hall is now COVID-free. COVID emergency order-free that is.

With a 4-0 vote Monday night, the city council voted to scrap the remaining eight orders in place as well as the overall emergency order in place since March 2020.

Debate was short and no members of the public spoke. Councilwoman Lynne Ashbeck, the most outspoken critic in the past of completely re-opening the city, was not present.