Senator Alvarado-Gil Details Opposition To Gas Price Legislation

Photo by: BJ Hansen

Sacramento, CA — Mother Lode Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil, who recently joined the Republican party, opposed a bill backed by Governor Gavin Newsom designed to prevent spiking gas prices.

The legislation, approved in the Senate during a special session on Friday, allows state energy regulators to require refiners to keep a certain level of fuel on hand at all times. Newsom argues that it will keep prices from going up suddenly when refineries go offline for maintenance or repairs.

The Governor put out a statement, “Californians are one step closer to getting the protections they need against Big Oil’s price spikes. I’m grateful to our partners in the Senate for helping to save Californians money at the pump. Price spikes cost consumers more than $2 billion last year, and we’re taking the action necessary to help put this to an end.”

Senator Alvarado-Gil counters, “Time after time, Sacramento’s progressive Democrats fail to reflect on their policies and the burdens they place on everyday Californians. It’s just one reason why I left the supermajority.”

She continues, “Giving more power to unelected bureaucrats isn’t the answer. It only weakens efforts to create better transparency and accountability in California. And as the voice of my constituents in Sacramento, I can’t support that.”

It passed 23-9 in the Senate and earlier, 44-18 in the Assembly. Local Republican Assemblymembers Jim Patterson and Heath Flora were also opposed. Republicans have pushed for reductions in the state’s highest-in-the-nation gas tax, while Democratic leaders have been opposed to the idea, arguing that it would lead to a reduction in road funding.