Nationwide Gas Prices Jump 11 Cents; California Still Leads with the Highest Gas Prices

California’s gas tax is approximately 71 cents per gallon, making it the highest in the nation

Reese Energy Consulting – Sponsor ENB Podcast

Gov. Gavin Newsom at press conference 3/2/2026. (Photo: x.com/GovPressOffice/status)

ENB Pub Note: In a sad, but predictable, press conference, Gavin Newsom blames Trump for high gas prices in California. What he fails to mention is that there are two huge factors in Gasoline vs. Diesel. Refineries and the global oil price. Because of his policies, the State of California imports 70% of its oil from foreign countries, and the United States only imports 2% from countries that supply oil from the Strait of Hormuz choke point. The cause of the oil spike directly impacts California. The second is the horrible regulatory burden they have placed on oil companies; they have gone from 30 refineries to 7, and the remaining 7 are looking at shutting down due to the new wave of regulations and taxes. This article is from Katy Grimes at the California Globe. 


The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline jumped 11 cents overnight, according to AAA.

The Hill is reporting that “A Nexstar analysis of AAA data found that, from Monday to Tuesday, nearly 30 states saw the average price of a gallon of gas increase by at least 10 cents. In three states, the price jumped by more than 20 cents.”

“These states saw the largest increase in gas prices over the last day, according to AAA:

  1. Ohio, up 23 cents $3.004
  2. Georgia, up 22 cents to $3.010
  3. Indiana, up 20 cents to $2.999
  4. Florida, up 19 cents to $3.068
  5. Iowa, up 18 cents to $2.809

AAA gas prices today, March 3, 2025, are up, but not because of President Donald Trump as Gov. Gavin Newsom would have you believe. The Globe thinks Newsom is just trying to blame anyone but himself for refineries closing and oil and gas companies leaving the state, entirely due to Newsom’s and Democrats’ reckless and destructive regulations and laws. Last year Newsom even accused gas companies of price gouging the consumer.

The CA Post reported Monday:

Gov. Gavin Newsom warned of further spikes in gas prices for “potentially months” — blaming President Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran for high gas prices alongside California’s increasing reliance on foreign oil.

“Gas prices are going up…you’ll be paying more because of Trump’s war,” Newsom claimed in a rambling response at a Monday press conference in Hayward.

“We have specifically…had extensive conversations over the weekend gaming out worst-case scenarios,” Newsom added.

Newsom can’t deflect his way out of California’s highest gas prices, which were even higher during the Biden Administration.

The national average price for a gallon of regular gas today is $3.11 – and for a gallon of gas in California, it is $4.67:

As the Globe has reported for all 7+ years of Newsom’s governorship, gas prices have been climbing as Newsom squeezes the oil and gas industry with environmental regulations, laws and gas taxes and fees.

The Globe just reported that PBF Energy Inc. is warning the California Air Resources Board about “the stark reality the impacts the current CARB Cap & Investment program would have because of the state’s remaining 7 refineries. And, CARB’s “Proposed Amendments will only worsen the current state of the program, making costs skyrocket further. If enacted as written, the Proposed Amendments will inevitably drive in-state refining capacity to zero.”

PBF Energy Inc. provides 33% of California’s in-state production and 23% of total California demand, most of the jet fuel for Sacramento International, San Francisco International, Oakland San Francisco Bay and San Jose International Airports, and more than 50% of the ultra-low sulfur marine diesel to ships calling at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

If the CARB and governor don’t immediately respond positively, California will likely lose PBF Energy Inc. as well.

Compare all of the states:

STATE GAS PRICE AVERAGES

                                       Reg.        Mid.     Prem.    Diesel

Alaska $3.643 $3.903 $4.139 $3.938
Alabama $2.771 $3.258 $3.640 $3.603
Arkansas $2.702 $3.141 $3.538 $3.557
Arizona $3.393 $3.784 $4.098 $3.754
California $4.674 $4.894 $5.082 $5.149
Colorado $3.023 $3.442 $3.780 $3.689
Connecticut $2.962 $3.584 $3.983 $4.034
District of Columbia $3.151 $3.768 $4.139 $3.923
Delaware $3.015 $3.583 $3.861 $4.024
Florida $3.068 $3.542 $3.866 $3.844
Georgia $3.010 $3.487 $3.885 $3.801
Hawaii $4.403 $4.611 $4.852 $5.181
Iowa $2.809 $2.991 $3.707 $3.753
Idaho $3.078 $3.339 $3.602 $3.779
Illinois $3.200 $3.767 $4.245 $3.947
Indiana $2.999 $3.528 $4.034 $3.995
Kansas $2.698 $3.030 $3.392 $3.525
Kentucky $2.727 $3.283 $3.719 $3.486
Louisiana $2.717 $3.188 $3.575 $3.456
Massachusetts $2.977 $3.587 $3.959 $4.043
Maryland $3.059 $3.647 $3.949 $4.031
Maine $2.997 $3.560 $4.010 $4.376
Michigan $3.128 $3.680 $4.234 $3.994
Minnesota $2.999 $3.454 $3.979 $3.872
Missouri $2.793 $3.197 $3.514 $3.586
Mississippi $2.644 $3.107 $3.472 $3.409
Montana $2.891 $3.219 $3.530 $3.507
North Carolina $2.911 $3.385 $3.768 $3.746
North Dakota $2.747 $3.092 $3.460 $3.688
Nebraska $2.877 $3.043 $3.579 $3.591
New Hampshire $2.933 $3.521 $3.947 $4.086
New Jersey $2.988 $3.573 $3.825 $4.077
New Mexico $2.955 $3.431 $3.726 $3.752
Nevada $3.731 $4.032 $4.302 $3.940
New York $3.040 $3.553 $3.940 $4.050
Ohio $3.004 $3.526 $4.034 $4.009
Oklahoma $2.624 $3.037 $3.356 $3.437
Oregon $3.948 $4.196 $4.455 $4.304
Pennsylvania $3.207 $3.662 $4.034 $4.329
Rhode Island $2.956 $3.675 $4.084 $4.026
South Carolina $2.832 $3.301 $3.684 $3.745
South Dakota $2.862 $2.990 $3.555 $3.608
Tennessee $2.721 $3.201 $3.593 $3.580
Texas $2.736 $3.247 $3.607 $3.485
Utah $2.893 $3.181 $3.416 $3.772
Virginia $2.939 $3.425 $3.789 $3.801
Vermont $3.045 $3.589 $3.997 $4.208
Washington $4.381 $4.641 $4.881 $4.934
Wisconsin $2.863 $3.302 $3.977 $3.695
West Virginia $2.997 $3.419 $3.858 $3.864
Wyoming $2.785 $3.100 $3.404 $3.643

Here are some of the costly taxation policies implemented in California by the Legislature, Governor and Air Resources Board that drive up the cost of gasoline:

  • 71 cents – State gas tax – increases annually
  • 28 cents – Cap and Trade (estimate)
  • 23 cents – Low Carbon Fuel Standard (estimate)
  • 2 cents – Underground Storage Fee
  • 10-15 cents – California’s switch to summer-blend costs more to produce than other types of gasoline.
  • 14.4 cents – State sales tax (estimate based on 6/20 average price)
  • 18.4 cents – Federal Excise tax

California’s total gas tax is approximately $1.61 per gallon today – on top of increasing gas prices, and was estimated to be nearly $2.00 per gallon by 2026.

The 2023 CARB Low Carbon Fuel Standard amendments document unabashedly outlines in black-and-white, the new gas tax increases through 2042 (page 57):

CARB gas, diesel and jet fuel tax. (Photo: www2.arb.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2023-09/lcfs_sria_2023_0.pdf)

In an October policy brief by USC Professor Michael A. Mische, UC Berkeley Professors James W. Rector, and Joseph B. Silvi, they warned:

“California’s in-state oil production has declined by approximately 65% since 2001, while its dependency on foreign imports has risen by nearly 70%. At the same time, refinery capacity has fallen 21% since 2023 and gasoline demand remains largely unchanged at roughly 36–40 million gallons per day.

California’s own Chevron Oil company moved its headquarters to Houston, Texas from San Ramon, California, another big business to flee the Golden State. Chevron is in good company joining X/Twitter, Space X, Oracle, Hewlett Packard, Charles Schwab, Toyota Motor North America, Jelly Belly, Public Storage, In-n-Out, to name a few of the mega-and-large businesses leaving California because of the state’s leftist/Marxist politics and regulatory environment.

Katy Grimes, the Editor in Chief of the California Globe, is a long-time Investigative Journalist covering the California State Capitol, the co-author of California’s War Against Donald Trump: Who Wins? Who Loses? and a contributor to “Taxifornia 2016.”
A California native and Navy mom, Katy lives in Sacramento, CA.

Get your CEO on the #1 Energy Podcast in the United States: https://sandstoneassetmgmt.com/media/

Is oil and gas right for your portfolio? https://energynewsbeat.co/invest/

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*