California’s gasoline costs have lengthy been excessive, and spikes because of the battle with Iran have sparked debate over who’s responsible. Some Democrats say Gov. Gavin Newsom might do extra to ease costs.
AILSA CHANG, HOST:
The nationwide improve in gasoline costs because the starting of the battle with Iran is hitting particularly exhausting right here in California. That is as a result of the rise is stacked on high of what already are the nation’s highest costs on the pump. The value spike has led to a brand new spherical of recriminations between the state’s Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, and the Trump administration. And never all Democrats within the Golden State are lining up behind Newsom. From member station KQED, Man Marzorati reviews.
GUY MARZORATI, BYLINE: Kern Rikhi pulled right into a Chevron in San Jose Tuesday in his brand-new Mercedes SUV.
KERN RIKHI: That I used to be a brilliant juiced about.
MARZORATI: Till he noticed the value of gasoline at $6 a gallon and 6.39 for the premium gasoline he was shopping for.
RIKHI: I did not take into consideration this final week once I was shopping for this automobile.
MARZORATI: Randall Raras says he has to drive to work. So he is making an attempt to restrict his spending elsewhere.
RANDALL RARAS: It is really making me, like, be extra acutely aware on the place I must go extra.
MARZORATI: And who does he maintain chargeable for the excessive worth of gasoline?
RARAS: I imply, it is Trump. Yeah, I received to say it, nevertheless it begins from the highest.
MARZORATI: California Governor Gavin Newsom can be laying the blame for gasoline costs squarely on the toes of President Trump and the battle in Iran, the most recent in his ongoing criticism of the president.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GAVIN NEWSOM: We have seen gasoline costs spike due to his determination. Trigger and impact.
MARZORATI: However gasoline costs in California, presently averaging $5 1/2 a gallon per AAA, have lengthy been among the many highest within the nation. Power Secretary Chris Wright advised NBC’s “Meet The Press” he is ordering the resumption of offshore oil flows alongside the California coast.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, “MEET THE PRESS”)
CHRIS WRIGHT: California has fought foolishly to forestall new American oil to enter their very own state.
MARZORATI: This week, a Texas oil firm introduced it is resuming flows by way of a controversial California pipeline in response.
(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, “MEET THE PRESS”)
WRIGHT: We mentioned sufficient is sufficient, and we have new oil manufacturing approaching in California.
MARZORATI: However UC Berkeley professor Severin Borenstein says producing extra oil…
SEVERIN BORENSTEIN: Shouldn’t be a safety towards a rise in gasoline costs when the world worth of crude goes up.
MARZORATI: In any case, the U.S. is a internet exporter of petroleum. But that hasn’t been sufficient to cease a nationwide worth spike as provide from the Center East has bottled up.
BORENSTEIN: Whether or not you are promoting oil in California or Texas, you cost a better worth when provide is restricted.
MARZORATI: Some Democrats right here have turned their consideration to California’s signature local weather program, known as Cap-and-Make investments, which costs carbon polluters like oil refineries, including about 25 cents a gallon to the price of gasoline. Greater than a dozen Democrats within the state legislature who voted to make this system stricter at the moment are calling on the Newsom administration to, quote, “rethink” its implementation of the regulation. That decision spilled over into California’s wide-open governor’s race, the place it was echoed by two Democrats operating to succeed Newsom, together with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.
MATT MAHAN: In a state that claims it cares about working individuals and a celebration that claims it cares about working individuals, we ought to indicate it.
MARZORATI: Mahan can be calling on the state to droop its 61-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax.
MAHAN: To supply reduction to people who find themselves having to decide on between paying the lease, placing meals on the desk and filling up their card to get to work.
MARZORATI: Meredith Fowlie with the Power Institute at Haas acknowledges California leaders must be involved about affordability.
MEREDITH FOWLIE: I utterly agree. However a few of these price impacts are producing revenues which are getting used for different functions.
MARZORATI: The state’s gasoline tax, for instance, funds highway restore. And Cap-and-Make investments is designed to struggle local weather change and lift billions of {dollars} yearly, which go…
FOWLIE: To investments we have to make from wildfire danger mitigation to public transportation.
MARZORATI: It is a trade-off Californians themselves are grappling with. Polling final 12 months from the Public Coverage Institute of California discovered a majority of residents assist the state’s bold local weather objectives and in addition really feel gasoline costs are a serious downside for them. For NPR information, I am Man Marzorati in San Jose, California.
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