Farmers protest hidden gas tax

Members of the Fed Up at the Pump coalition are leading an effort to educate and inform consumers, farmers and small business owners about a state agency mandated gas and diesel price increase that will negatively impact the local economy, particularly agriculture industry.

From 1 January 2015, Californians will have to pay 16 – 76 cents/gal. more for gas as a result of a gas tax introduced by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Brown Administration. The goal of Fed Up at the Pump is to delay the introduction of this tax.

Beatris Sanders, Executive Director of the Kern County Farm Bureau, spoke at a Fed Up at the Pump event on Wednesday: “The agriculture industry in Kern County is getting hit on all sides - a serious lacks of water for crops, the lingering recession and now this. This gas tax is another burden that is making it harder for the agricultural industry to remain sustainable and viable in Kern County”.

Senator Jean Fuller also commented: “The decision to add this hidden tax to the already high cost of fuel in California will hurt our most vulnerable families. Higher fuel prices will lead to higher fuel prices. And, given the historic drought, Central Valley farmers will find it even more difficult to stay in business”.

Adapted from a press release by Emma McAleavey.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/04072014/farmers_protest_hidden_gas_tax_857/