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| California lawmakers propose $400 rebate to offset high gas prices | |
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The Wise And Powerful Admin
Posts : 111040 Join date : 2014-07-29 Age : 101 Location : A Mile High
| Subject: California lawmakers propose $400 rebate to offset high gas prices Fri Mar 18, 2022 2:00 pm | |
| California lawmakers propose $400 rebate to offset high gas prices By Lisa Principi March 17, 2022 11:51 PM Published March 17, 2022 6:41 PM
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KION) Californians complained — and lawmakers listened. A group of state Democrats is proposing a $400 rebate for every California taxpayer, meant to offset the high gas prices and inflation.
"That would be beautiful. I would love it. I can always use $400," said Livia, who lives in Salinas.
The rebate would go to all taxpayers, regardless of if they own a car or not.
"We now confront the challenge of inflation, the worst February in 40 years of rising costs," said Assemblymember Ken Cooley. "This will put money in the pockets of people, and they will turn around according to their priorities and spend it on what matters. And that means it's not just good for them, it is good for the whole California and American economy."
But some don't agree.
"I think the proposal is very unfair because they should give the rebate to the people who own the cars," said Barry of Salinas. "They're going to give them the benefit of us who have to pay."
The gas rebate comes as Republican lawmakers are pushing to suspend the $0.51 gas tax. But how much would that actually save?
The current average of a regular gallon of gas in California is $5.78, according to AAA. Removing the gas tax would make it $5.27. That means to fill up a 12-gallon tank, you would save about $6.12 without the tax.
"To put that into context for most vehicles, for most Californians, this $400 rebate is equivalent to a one-year gas tax holiday," said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris.
"A cut in the gas tax has no guarantee that that money will end up in the pockets of consumers," added Assemblywoman Jacqui Irwin.
We spoke to local state Senator John Laird earlier this week, who was in favor of a similar rebate instead of the gas tax suspension.
"The gas suspension is such a small amount of money and it hurts schools and it hurts roads," said Laird. "We should be doing something that doesn't cut schools and roads and still puts more cash in people's pockets, and puts it for things that are broader than just the gas hikes. Because we still have people with rent problems, we have people with food insecurity. And we should be addressing all those things."
The total funding needed for the proposal, an estimated $9 billion, would come directly from the state's budget surplus. Lawmakers hope to have the rebate sent out by the Spring. |
| | | Temple Regular Member
Posts : 7317 Join date : 2014-07-29
| Subject: Re: California lawmakers propose $400 rebate to offset high gas prices Fri Mar 18, 2022 4:52 pm | |
| 3-18-2022
Poll shows 'incredible' 80% of US voters support windfall tax on big oil.
New survey data out this week shows that U.S. voters—regardless of party affiliation—overwhelmingly support a windfall profits tax on U.S. oil corporations that are using Russia's war on Ukraine to hike prices at the pump.
"GOP and industry disinformation is failing to convince people—voters know Big Oil is to blame."
According to polling results released by the League of Conservation Voters, 80% of U.S. voters— including 73% of Republicans—support "placing a windfall profits tax on the extra profits oil companies are making from the higher gasoline prices they are charging because of the Russia-Ukraine situation."
More broadly, 87% of U.S. voters want Congress and President Joe Biden to "crack down on price gouging and excessive price increases by oil companies that result in higher gas prices at the pump."
Jamie Henn, director of Fossil Free Media, said in a statement Friday that the survey data shows voters "know who is to blame for high gas prices: Big Oil."
"For politicians on both sides of the aisle, this polling is proof that their constituents overwhelmingly support the idea of a windfall profits tax that would stop Big Oil profiteering and send relief directly to consumers," Henn added. "If members of Congress refuse to act, it'll be concrete evidence that they’re in the pockets of the industry."
The fresh polling came days after a group of House and Senate Democrats unveiled legislation that would hit large, highly profitable oil companies with "a per-barrel tax equal to 50% of the difference between the current price of a barrel of oil and the pre-pandemic average price per barrel between 2015 and 2019."
"Once more for the people in the back: rising oil prices are being caused by corporate greed."
"Revenue raised from the windfall profits of big oil companies will be returned to consumers in the form of a quarterly rebate, which would phase out for single filers who earn more than $75,000 in annual income and joint filers who earn more than $150,000," according to a summary released by the office of Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), the bill's lead sponsor in the House.
After an initial surge following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, oil prices have fallen in recent days—but gas prices in the U.S. have remained elevated, bolstering the narrative that corporate profiteering is driving up costs at the pump.
"Oil prices are decreasing, gas prices should too," President Joe Biden wrote in a Twitter post on Wednesday. "Last time oil was $96 a barrel, gas was $3.62 a gallon. Now it's $4.31. Oil and gas companies shouldn’t pad their profits at the expense of hardworking Americans."
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, echoed the president's message.
"Once more for the people in the back: rising oil prices are being caused by corporate greed."
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| | | oliver clotheshoffe Regular Member
Posts : 1723 Join date : 2019-02-04 Age : 65
| Subject: Re: California lawmakers propose $400 rebate to offset high gas prices Sat Mar 19, 2022 4:28 pm | |
| Why the hell should people that don't even have a car get a gas refund? Okay, they're paying more for everything else like the rest of us because of inflation but people who buy gas pay the big fat gas tax. The state took their money, they state should give it back. |
| | | oliver clotheshoffe Regular Member
Posts : 1723 Join date : 2019-02-04 Age : 65
| Subject: Re: California lawmakers propose $400 rebate to offset high gas prices Sat Mar 19, 2022 4:33 pm | |
| Back in 2006 California tried to pass Proposition 87 to tax the big oil companies. It got voted down. People know any tax increase imposed on the oil companies just gets passed down to them in the form of even higher gas prices. |
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