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Do you feel like Thanksgiving expenses have become less affordable in California over the past few years? It's not just your imagination!
The latest cost data indicates a substantial increase in average costs for a typical Thanksgiving meal over the last 5 years in California. According to annual data by The American Farm Bureau Federation, the average Thanksgiving meal price has increased over 25% since 2018.
Carl DeMaio, chairman of the tax-fighting organization Reform California, says it's no coincidence that these cost increases line up to California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) taking office in 2019 — as well as a large influx of new Democrat leadership across the country after the 2018 U.S. midterm elections.
“Since taking office, Gavin Newsom and Democrats nationally have introduced reckless inflationary policies of costly mandates and high taxes that are crushing families – even making it harder to simply enjoy Thanksgiving,” said DeMaio.
DeMaio points to numerous policies and tax increases that Newsom has implemented, such as several new truck and shipping regulations and gas tax increases that have affected the price of groceries.
And as for Thanksgiving grocery costs, the American Farm Bureau Federation tracks the price of these usual 11 items for your Thanksgiving menu:
In 2018, the Federation reported that the average cost for a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people stood at $48.90, just shy of $5.00 per person. But this year's Thanksgiving will cost an average of $61.17 for a dinner meant to serve 10 people. While this year's Thanksgiving is 4.5% less expensive than the record-breaking $64.05 experienced in 2022, it remains a staggering 30.4% pricier than it was before President Biden took office in 2021 and 25.1% more expensive than when Newsom took office in 2019.
But DeMaio says it's not just the cost of groceries that Americans are suffering from this Thanksgiving season, and he points to a recent report from the Transparency Foundation. The Foundation found that California’s cost-of-living penalty forces a typical middle class family to pay $26,478.72 more per year to live in California versus if they lived in a state with an average national cost of living.
“Prices are up for everything, especially in California — your energy bill from cooking, your gas and travel costs, costs of clothes and gifts — it goes on and on,” said DeMaio.
“Gavin Newsom and the Democrats have only made California more expensive for its citizens while they coddle criminals and cause huge spikes in violent crime and homelessness — Newsom should be tackling these problems, not making them worse,” continued DeMaio.
That’s why Carl DeMaio and Reform California are fighting to make California more affordable by fighting against the constant tax hikes imposed by Gavin Newsom.
“We want a future where California families’ Thanksgiving tables are full and their wallets aren't empty — so please join our fight today to make that a reality,” said DeMaio.
You can join the campaign to stop tax hikes at StopTheTaxHikes.org.
