Atlanta, GA—Georgia Governor Brian Kemp officially declared a state of emergency today due to high inflation and poor economic conditions in the state stemming from bad economic policies coming out of Washington, D.C. In his declaration, Kemp said he is temporarily suspending the state’s excise tax on motor and locomotive fuel. The suspension of the tax took effect at midnight this morning and will go through October 12th, 2023. This move will save everyone buying gas in Georgia approximately 29 cents per gallon. Kemp has suspended the state's gas tax before, and that suspension lasted for 10 months when it was in effect from March to December of 2022. 

It is no secret that people are struggling every day due to the poor economic policies of President Joe Biden's administration. Everything in this country is more expensive than it was before he took office, and gas prices are still at record highs around the country, especially here in California. The lower and middle classes are suffering, but Biden is all smiles, though he probably isn't smiling for the reasons we think he is. He's probably thinking of ice cream or vacations, not us. When you have leftists saying it's bad, you know you have a problem: 

61% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. https://t.co/WFqzYmDCXr

— Nina Turner (@ninaturner) September 11, 2023

California is not so different than Georgia; in fact, one can even say we have it far worse than they do, yet Governor Gavin Newson refuses to take similar action. When the overwhelming majority of Californians can't even buy a house, let alone pay for a tank of gas, there is a huge problem. The Golden State currently has the highest gas prices in the entire nation, with an average cost of $5.48 per gallon compared to the average cost in the U.S. at $3.85 per gallon. California residents also currently pay the highest gas tax in the nation, with a whopping $1.18 per gallon just in taxes. 

Since 2017, with the passage of SB1 (also referred to as the gas tax), consumers in the state now see an additional $0.58 per gallon of gasoline and diesel across the state. 

California traditionally has had higher gas prices than the rest of the country due to state emissions standards requiring a certain blend of fuel for each season. All in total, California residents pay an extra $1.25 per gallon than the rest of the country, and for each gallon you pump, $1.18 is just taxes and fees alone. In addition to higher fuel costs, residents got hit with higher annual vehicle registration fees, and it outlawed any diesel-powered bus or truck over 14,000 pounds from being operated in the state as of this year. 

California residents have a compounding problem when it comes to our current economic outlook. With the state's Democrats ignoring millions of people demanding a lower cost of fuel and living, they continue to press on with their agenda of making it more costly to live here. The compounding issue is the average California voter, who continues to vote for the politicians that pass these laws, but more importantly, who votes for the ballot propositions that tax us more and vote against the propositions that would tax us less. 

California voters have rejected a ballot measure to repeal the recently enacted gas tax hike slated for the repair of roads, bridges and highways across the state, the Associated Press projected Tuesday night.

Proposition 6 would have kept more money in residents’ wallets by stopping the state from bringing in some $5 billion in annual tax revenue that was approved just last year as part of Senate Bill 1, a massive transportation package supported by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Between Washington and Sacramento, Californians are hemorrhaging money from our accounts faster than ever before. Newsom has the power and ability to give the residents a reprieve, at the very least. But the powers that be are too concerned with social justice issues to care about anything else. When will we see any relief?