California drivers are about to feel another pinch at the pump, and Governor Gavin Newsom wants you to know it's not his fault — it's yours. Or, more precisely, it's the will of California voters back in 2018.
On Tuesday, Newsom's official press office took to X to push back against a New York Post story that claimed California had "hiked" gas prices again. The Post had cited a notice from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration showing the state's excise tax on gasoline will increase to $0.634 per gallon starting July 1, 2026.
"Totally FALSE story," the press office wrote, adding that the increase happens "automatically" every year to adjust for inflation. "California voters said so back in 2018," the post said — before Newsom took office. The office also jabbed at the Post: "If you are going to cover the golden state, at least learn the laws first…or reach out ahead of time."
For context, California already charges an excise tax of $0.60 per gallon plus a state sales tax of $0.10 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. On top of that, the federal government tacks on $0.18 per gallon — a uniform rate across all 50 states. So the new rate of $0.634 is a modest bump, but it adds to a tax burden that's already among the highest in the nation.
Meanwhile, the national average price of regular gas stood at $4.29 per gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA. Diesel is even worse, averaging about $5.43 per gallon. Those numbers are being driven higher by the ongoing conflict with Iran, which has disrupted global oil supplies and kept prices elevated.
GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan has warned that President Trump's approach to Iran negotiations could push prices even higher. Newsom, for his part, has been quick to blame Trump for the broader spike, saying the president "does not care about Americans struggling to deal with rising costs" and has directly caused the disruption in global energy supply.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined the chorus, accusing Trump of helping oil executives amass wealth from the Iran war while Americans pay close to $800 million in excess costs at the pump.
So, yes, California's gas tax is going up again. But as Newsom's office is eager to point out, that particular increase was baked into state law years ago. Whether voters in 2018 knew they were signing up for annual inflation-adjusted hikes is another question — but for now, the governor has a ready-made answer: don't look at me, look in the mirror.
