California gas tax set to increase Wednesday as travelers gear up for July Fourth weekend

Key Points:

• California's gas tax will increase by 2.2 cents per gallon on Wednesday, raising the total tax to about 63 cents per gallon, the highest in the U.S., as mandated by the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.
• President Trump criticized the tax hike on social media, urging gasoline retailers to lower prices immediately and calling California's gas taxes excessive and harmful to residents.
• Governor Gavin Newsom's office responded by highlighting a past Trump statement about profiting from rising oil prices, reflecting ongoing political tensions over fuel costs.
• Senator Adam Schiff attributed high gas prices primarily to geopolitical tensions, particularly the conflict involving the U.S. and Iran, while acknowledging California's gas taxes contribute to higher costs.
• Despite California's high gas taxes, the state ranks second in the nation for gas prices, with Hawaii having the highest prices as of Tuesday.