California governor Jerry Brown increased California’s gas tax and vehicle registration fees, which went into effect in 2018. Since our recent gas tax bill was passed on Nov. 1, 2017, there are only a few roads being fixed after this increase. Therefore, the state legislature should use our gas tax funds for fixing our roads, as their main priority before anyone starts to complain about their gas prices increase.

As businesses brace for impact from the most recent tax increase in our state, agriculture industries received the hardest impact because they have to deal with increased expenses from the tax. They must find ways to gain profits and transport goods into our grocery stores, because businesses must deal with tighter budget. Since these industries have to deal with regulations from our state, they handle increased transportation costs, which was a result of our harmful tax. Furthermore, they have to increase their prices to compensate their expensive transportation costs. As a result of this, consumers are being forced purchase their food with an increased price. After agriculture industries deal with their increased expenses, they have made their voice heard by opposing our gas tax law.

Gas stations have high prices, due to resulted the recent tax increase. Some want to know the reason for the expensive gas prices from every gas station. The gas industries have to increase their gas prices mainly because they have to pay their own taxes to the state. For example, Shell gas station resented the recent gas tax law in Carlsbad. This station has reduced their gas price to $1.99, until 6 p.m. on Feb. 5. They want to encourage their customers to sign the petition, which put our gas tax issue into the November 2018 ballot. This is a huge change for many Carlsbad residents who wanted to conserve money for buying gas at a cheaper price.

Supporters of the gas tax increase claimed there will be less gas pollution in our environment, and road improvement. However, we need to know that our state imposed pollution regulation laws on our truck industries. Since these industries face increased expenses from different types of taxes in our state, they now face high transportation costs to deliver products to homes, which results in expensive shipping. Agriculture industries have been forced to deal with expensive transportation costs, which increase the price to maintain business. They cause a chain reaction for their consumers who have been forced to pay for their food in a more expensive price than before.