As a resident of California, I am deeply concerned about the extraordinary cost of gasoline facing Californians today. As of October 6, 2026, the average price for regular gasoline in California is approximately $6.38 per gallon, compared with a national average of approximately $4.37 per gallon. That means Californians are paying roughly $2.01 more per gallon than the national average—a significant additional expense for families, workers, commuters, students, seniors, and small businesses that depend on reliable transportation.

This price difference has real consequences. For a driver purchasing 15 gallons of gasoline each week, paying approximately $2 more per gallon represents roughly $30 more per week, or more than $1,500 per year, compared with the national average. For Californians who drive long distances for work, operate businesses, transport goods, care for family members, or have limited access to public transportation, the financial burden can be substantially greater.

California's gasoline prices have historically exceeded the national average. Current analysis from the American Petroleum Institute identifies several factors contributing to California's higher prices, including higher state taxes, environmental programs and fees, specialized fuel requirements, refinery costs, and California's relatively isolated fuel market. API also reports that California's state gasoline taxes exceed 70 cents per gallon, compared with a national state-tax average of roughly 33 cents per gallon.

We recognize that California cannot control global crude-oil prices, and that gasoline prices are influenced by international markets, supply and demand, refinery operations, transportation costs, and other factors. However, California can examine the costs and policies within its own jurisdiction and determine whether unnecessary costs can be reduced while maintaining environmental protections, public health, fuel quality, and reliable energy supplies.

This petition calls upon California's Governor, State Legislature, and relevant regulatory agencies to take immediate and measurable action to reduce the cost of gasoline for Californians.

We ask state leaders to conduct a comprehensive review of California's gasoline taxes, fees, environmental programs, fuel requirements, refinery and supply constraints, market competition, and other state-influenced costs that contribute to the price Californians pay at the pump.

We further urge California policymakers to increase transparency throughout the gasoline supply chain, protect adequate fuel supplies, encourage competition, reduce unnecessary regulatory and supply-chain costs, and establish an emergency response strategy for extraordinary price increases.

Any effort to reduce gasoline prices should be carefully designed so that it does not undermine environmental protections, transportation infrastructure, public services, or long-term energy reliability. Californians deserve a policy approach that recognizes that environmental responsibility and economic affordability can—and should—be pursued together.

At nearly $6.38 per gallon, gasoline is placing a substantial financial burden on California households. We should not simply accept this burden as inevitable without examining every reasonable opportunity to reduce it.

We therefore call upon California's leaders to make gasoline affordability a statewide priority and develop a measurable strategy to bring unnecessary fuel costs down for working families, commuters, businesses, and all Californians.

Join us in demanding action.
Sign this petition and call upon California's elected leaders to pursue fairer, more transparent, more competitive, and more affordable gasoline prices for everyone who lives and works in California.

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PETITION TO REDUCE GAS PRICES FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS

To the Governor of California, California State Legislature, California Energy Commission, and State and Local Leaders: A CALL FOR AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE, AND TRANSPARENT TRANSPORTATION FUEL

We, the undersigned residents, workers, families, businesses, farmers, commuters, and taxpayers of California, respectfully petition the State of California to establish and implement a comprehensive strategy to reduce gasoline prices and protect Californians from unnecessary and excessive increases in the cost of transportation fuel.

California families should not have to choose between filling their vehicle and paying for groceries, rent, utilities, childcare, healthcare, or other necessities.

For millions of Californians, a vehicle is not a luxury. It is essential for getting to work, taking children to school, accessing medical care, operating a business, delivering goods, and participating in the economy.

When gasoline prices rise substantially, the impact does not stop at the gas station.

Higher transportation costs can increase the cost of:

• Food
• Construction
• Delivery services
• Household goods
• Business operations
• Commuting
• Public services
• Emergency services
• Agriculture
• Manufacturing

California needs an energy and transportation strategy that makes fuel more affordable without sacrificing reliability, competition, public health, or the state's long-term energy goals.

OUR CENTRAL REQUEST
We respectfully ask California's elected officials and regulatory agencies to establish a California Gas Price Reduction and Energy Affordability Strategy with measurable annual targets for reducing unnecessary gasoline costs.

The strategy should address every major component of the price Californians pay at the pump, including:

• Crude-oil costs
• Refining costs
• Refinery availability
• Transportation and distribution costs
• California fuel specifications
• State and local taxes
• Regulatory costs
• Market competition
• Supply disruptions
• Retail and wholesale market transparency

The State should identify which costs are necessary, which are unavoidable, and which can reasonably be reduced.

 1. MAKE AFFORDABLE GASOLINE A STATEWIDE PRIORITY
California should formally recognize transportation-fuel affordability as an important component of household affordability and economic competitiveness.

The state should establish measurable objectives for:

• Lowering average gasoline prices
• Reducing extreme regional price differences
• Reducing unnecessary price volatility
• Maintaining adequate fuel inventories
• Increasing market transparency
• Protecting consumers from illegal price manipulation
• Maintaining reliable fuel supplies

California should publish an annual Gasoline Affordability Report showing whether the state is making measurable progress.

2. CONDUCT A COMPLETE AUDIT OF THE CALIFORNIA GASOLINE PRICE
California consumers deserve to know exactly what they are paying for.

We ask the state to conduct and publicly publish a comprehensive analysis of the retail price of gasoline, including:

• Crude oil
• Refining
• Transportation
• Storage
• Distribution
• Taxes
• Regulatory costs
• Wholesale margins
• Retail margins
• Other fees and assessments
• The report should compare California with other states and explain significant differences.

Consumers should not have to guess why the price at the pump changes so dramatically.

3. INCREASE TRANSPARENCY THROUGH THE ENTIRE SUPPLY CHAIN
The state should improve transparency regarding gasoline supply, refinery outages, inventories, imports, production capacity, and wholesale pricing.

Where legally permissible, California should require appropriate reporting that allows regulators and the public to better understand significant changes in gasoline prices.

The objective should not be to micromanage private businesses.

The objective should be to ensure that policymakers have enough information to identify genuine supply problems, market disruptions, and potential anti-competitive behavior.

4. PROTECT AND EXPAND FUEL SUPPLY RELIABILITY
California should maintain sufficient refining, storage, transportation, and import capacity to prevent avoidable supply shortages.

The state should establish clear contingency plans for:

• Refinery shutdowns
• Natural disasters
• Equipment failures
• Pipeline disruptions
• Port disruptions
• Transportation interruptions
• Unexpected supply shortages
• Major international oil-market disruptions
• California should maintain adequate emergency fuel reserves and supply options where economically and operationally feasible.

A shortage should not be allowed to become a predictable crisis.

5. STREAMLINE RESPONSIBLE REFINERY MAINTENANCE
Necessary refinery maintenance should continue to protect workers, communities, and the environment.

However, the state should examine whether regulatory processes can be made more predictable so that planned maintenance does not unnecessarily reduce fuel availability.

California should establish:

• Clear maintenance timelines
• Coordinated regulatory reviews
• Emergency communication procedures
• Better forecasting of planned refinery outages
• Improved coordination between refiners and regulators
• The objective should be safe maintenance without avoidable supply disruptions.

6. ENCOURAGE COMPETITION
California should closely examine the state's gasoline market to determine whether structural factors are limiting competition.

Regulators should investigate unusual or persistent price differences when supported by evidence and should enforce existing competition and consumer-protection laws.

The state should consider whether additional policies could:

• Encourage more suppliers
• Facilitate responsible fuel imports
• Reduce unnecessary barriers to market entry
• Improve wholesale competition
• Prevent anti-competitive conduct
• Competition should work for consumers—not against them.