BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — California is raising its state per-gallon gas tax by a little over 2 cents, bringing the total to just over 63 cents per gallon effective July 1.
The tax was introduced by the legislature in 2017 under the Road Repair and Accountability Act and signed into law by then-Governor Jerry Brown. It was designed to raise an estimated $5.2 billion annually to cover transportation-related costs.
A little over a year after the bill was signed, voters attempted to repeal it through Proposition 6, which gathered enough signatures to appear on the 2018 gubernatorial ballot. Voters rejected the repeal by a 57-43 split.
Since its introduction, the state excise tax on gasoline has risen from nearly 30 cents to just over 63 cents per gallon. That figure does not include other taxes such as the low-carbon fuel standard, cap and trade, and federal taxes, which add another 74 cents per gallon.
The state tax on diesel has also increased, climbing from about 36 cents per gallon in 2017 to 48 cents as of 2026.
On Wednesday, I stopped to talk with a handful of Kern County residents to gauge their awareness of the tax increase, and most were shocked to hear about it. When asked about gas prices generally, some said they were happy to see prices trending down but remained unhappy with overall costs.
Erin Pattarino, a Kern County resident, said:
"Sometimes 6 dollars depending on if it's cash or credit, and that is ridiculous; these are the highest prices I've seen in California. It's ridiculous, man."
For drivers curious about how much the state excise tax costs them at the pump, the state offers an online tool where users can enter their monthly mileage and vehicle fuel efficiency to estimate how much they spend daily, monthly, or annually on just this tax.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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