Letters to the editor: Issue with gas prices; liberal legislature’s mismanagement

The pain at the pump

When will the voters of California come to their senses? We continually elect people who only care about their personal interests or the interests of their political party. Consequently, they cater to special interests in order to acquire funding needed for reelection and have little interest in the needs of their constituents.

Gasoline in California carries a price tag higher than anywhere in the nation and it is now well over $6 per gallon, up a couple of dollars in just two years. This is causing significant harm to many in the state — particularly those who live from paycheck to paycheck.

In March, Gov. Newsom promised relief. And he had two avenues from which to provide this relief — either redistributing a multi-billion-dollar budget surplus or suspending the highest-in-the-nation gasoline tax. Either sounds very doable — send checks to owners of gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles or suspend the tax at the pump. Either lessens the pain at the pump and does it expeditiously.

Enter the Legislature and we find that nothing is easy for our elected officials. They don’t really care about the suffering of their constituents. No, they would rather spend months — yes, months — bickering about how to provide relief. Meanwhile, people have been suffering since March and word is that relief might not be forthcoming until October. Seven months to resolve this issue is unconscionable.

My question is this: Why do we continue to elect people who do not have our best interests at heart?

James Bauer, Oxnard

Newsom, legislature to blame

We were told by our state leaders several years ago that we had to have a 12-cent increase in gas taxes for roads, equating to $5 billion in spite of the already highest gas taxes in the nation. Now we are told to expect power outages this summer because our electrical grid system cannot support our energy requirements caused by mandating reliance on unreliable and costly solar and wind. Now we must also ration water because of the drought.

All these crises are a result of this governor and his liberal legislature’s mismanagement and incompetence. Here is why.

Gov. Newsom recently was bragging that this state has a $46 billion surplus, nine times more than the last increase in gas taxes. Why then doesn’t he roll back gas taxes and all the silly different blends of gasoline that cause California gasoline prices to be almost $2 per gallon higher than the national average? Also, modernize Diablo Nuclear plant that produces 9% of our energy needs with safe zero carbon emissions and encourage building more of the same. The drought. No argument there but it seems ironic that the same people telling us to conserve water are still issuing building permits for multifamily housing and welcoming anyone crossing the border illegally with free everything, overwhelming our schools, medical facilities, and infrastructure to death.

I could go on and on about crime, homelessness, and failed schools but I am constrained by The Star’s word count. If you voted for this governor and his liberal legislature that are mismanaging our once great Golden State, then don’t complain about gas prices, inflation, and taxes.

John R. Hanson, Oak View

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letters: Issue with gas prices; liberal legislature’s mismanagement