Californians will be hit with a 50 cent per gallon gas tax, according to a report from Fox Business.
The effort is part of an emissions reduction program.
In September, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) announced that gas prices are to rise next year by roughly 50 cents a gallon and to support clean air efforts.
This tax is separate from the state’s existing gas tax.
California state Senator Janet Nguyen told Fox Business that the “secret” tax hurts the majority of Californians.
“The middle class, the low income, they can’t afford gas to go to school, work or grocery or the doctor’s office,” Nguyen said. “No one knows about this. I think people just think it’s a tax, so they don’t know the difference between the carbon tax versus the state tax. It’s almost like a tax on the tax.”
Last week, it was revealed that California’s gas tax is going to be raised to 60 cents per gallon beginning on July 1.
“The state already has the highest gas taxes in the country and by far the highest gas prices,” Representative Kevin Kiley (R-CA) said.
In a post on X, Kiley said the tax increase was “unacceptable.”
Some gas stations in California have displayed prices exceeding $7 per gallon for regular gasoline.
