CA Democrats Kill Bills to Reduce Cost of Living

California Democrat politicians have once again voted to spike your cost of living — including allowing gas prices to soar up to $8 per gallon in the next few years! But Republicans fought back this week and forced Democrats to defend their votes, and now they’re preparing to use their vote record to defeat them at the ballot box.

“Democrats just voted to jack up gas prices, kill tax relief, and punish the middle class — and we’re going to hold them accountable,” said Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, Chairman of Reform California. 

This week, Democrats in the State Legislature voted to approve a hidden 65-cent gas tax hike under the California Air Resources Board’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) regulations — and they killed every Republican proposal to stop or even delay the increase, as well as other moves aimed at reducing a variety of other sky-high cost-of-living drivers.

Here’s what happened:

• AB 12: Republicans introduced a bill to repeal the 65-cent per gallon gas tax increase hidden in the LCFS rules set to take effect in 2026. Democrats killed it.
• Excise Gas Tax Relief: Republicans proposed rolling back the automatic 2-cent gas tax hike that takes effect July 1, 2025. Democrats killed it.
• AB 1219: Republicans offered a bill to cut state taxes on middle-class families. Democrats killed it.
• Tip Tax Repeal: A Republican bill to end state taxes on tips earned by restaurant and service workers. Democrats killed it.
• AB 41: A bill to rein in CARB’s out-of-control regulations on gas, electricity, housing, and transportation. Democrats killed it.
• Utility Rate Relief: Republicans proposed cutting sky-high electricity and utility rates. Democrats killed it.

Economists now warn that with these tax hikes and forced refinery closures, gas prices in California could hit $8 per gallon by 2027. All of this is due to the Democrats' extreme regulatory agenda, refusal to offer tax relief, and open hostility toward energy producers in the state.

“This is just the latest attack by Sacramento politicians on working Californians who are already struggling to survive — they’re killing jobs and raising your bills all to satisfy their radical agenda,” said DeMaio.

Assembly Republicans forced public floor votes on every bill to build a “List of Names” — a public record of every Democrat who voted to raise your cost of living. 

“This week, we stood up for the people of California to say enough is enough and forced them to go on record for these bad policies — and now they have to defend these actions at the next election,” explained DeMaio.

Reform California is now using those votes to identify vulnerable districts and recruit challengers for 2026.

“We’ve already been inundated with new candidates who are outraged and ready to run,” said DeMaio. “We’re going to weaponize every one of these gas-tax and utility-rate votes and flip the seats we need to end the Democrat supermajority.”

Reform California is launching a statewide public education campaign to expose the truth about these gas tax hikes, tip taxes, and cost-of-living votes — but needs your help to spread the word.

“This isn’t just about gas prices. It’s about whether we’re going to let these politicians destroy what’s left of our economy,” said DeMaio. “We have the plan. We have the momentum. Now we need the people.”