Today, Californians are paying nearly $2 more per gallon for gasoline than the national average, and the gap is growing. When gas prices rise, the cost of everything rises. Groceries. Utilities. Getting to work. For families already stretched thin, the pressure is becoming unbearable.

This didn’t happen overnight, and it was avoidable.

California’s high gas prices are the result of years of policy decisions that have made our energy market more expensive, more fragile, and more dependent on forces outside our control.

Our policies have reduced in-state oil production and refining capacity while demand remains high. Not long ago, California had more than 40 refineries. Today, only a fraction remain, and more are at risk. We now import roughly 70% of the crude oil we refine, and increasingly, the gasoline we use.

That’s not a transition. That’s outsourcing.

And it comes with consequences. When we limit supply here at home and rely on foreign imports, we expose Californians to global instability — wars, shipping disruptions, and market volatility that we cannot control.

I’ve been sounding the alarm on this since I first came to Sacramento. For years, these warnings were dismissed. Now, the consequences are here.

The burden is hitting communities like ours the hardest. In areas where nearly 85% of residents commute to work, high gas prices aren’t optional, they’re unavoidable. Small businesses, truck drivers, and agricultural producers are all sounding the alarm. For many families, just getting to work or taking their kids to school is becoming a financial strain.

Affordability is the No.1 issue I hear from constituents. And yet, Sacramento continues to double down on policies that make it worse.

California’s climate goals are admirable. We all want cleaner air and a healthier environment. We’ve made real progress.

But our goals must also be realistic.

For years, California has taken a “scarcity first” approach, restrict supply in the name of transition. The problem is, demand hasn’t disappeared. And without a plan to replace that supply, all we’ve done is drive up costs and push production elsewhere.

We don’t need a scarcity strategy. We need a build-first strategy.

That means investing in reliable energy, modern infrastructure, and a transition that is actually achievable — not just aspirational.

That’s also why I opposed the cap-and-invest program.

From my perspective, it functions as a tax, and I warned it would increase volatility and drive up prices at the pump by as much as 74 cents per gallon. Despite those concerns, it was passed on a party-line vote.

Now, industry experts are warning that the real impact could be closer to $1.25 per gallon.

At a time when families are already struggling, some are trying to shift the blame and point fingers at national politics. Californians know better. Our prices are the result of decisions made here at home.

We need a balanced approach. One that protects our environment without punishing working families. One that recognizes the realities of demand while we responsibly build toward the future.

That’s why, as co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, I’m working to bring people together — Democrats and Republicans — to focus on real solutions. But the truth is, we didn’t get here overnight, and we won’t fix it overnight.

It will take unwinding years of policies that have constrained supply, discouraged investment, and created uncertainty in our energy market.

In the short term, we should provide immediate relief by suspending the state gas tax and reevaluating costly fuel requirements that limit flexibility during supply shortages.

In the long term, we must stabilize in-state production, preserve refining capacity, and reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign energy.

I’ve also introduced Senate Bill 1161, which will require the California Air Resources Board to fully analyze and disclose the real cost impacts of proposed regulations on Californians before they are implemented. Transparency matters — especially when families are the ones paying the price.

Californians aren’t looking for excuses. They’re looking for results.

If we continue down the current path, today’s high prices will become tomorrow’s baseline — and mark my words … shortages. Yes, line at the pump like in the 1970s. 

But it starts with acknowledging what’s not working — and having the courage to change course.

Suzette Martinez Valladares represents the Santa Clarita Valley in the state Senate.“Right, Here Right Now” appears Saturdays and rotates among local Republicans. 

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