Letters: Refinery closures, explosion guarantee a gas crunch

"Here comes gas shortages and soaring prices. Seventeen percent of California's refinery capacity is scheduled to close by mid-2026. Last week's explosion in El Segundo just knocked out our largest refinery. The state's attempt to nudge people into electric vehicles has stalled. Thanks to the California Air Resources Board, California can't import gasoline from other states. With all this, I'll bet that $7 a gallon gas is in our future. It will be a regressive tax on Californians who can least afford it."

"Oakland is facing a serious funding problem and is turning to a new tax increase to solve budget issues. The new city budget would require an increase in parcel taxes. The root of our underfunding problem is the fact that corporations are not paying their share in property taxes, forcing homeowners to take the burden. It is now more necessary than ever to reform Proposition 13 to support public schools and public services."

Seventeen percent of California's refinery capacity is scheduled to close by mid-2026, and a recent explosion in El Segundo disabled the state's largest refinery, creating immediate risks of gasoline shortages and soaring prices. State restrictions on importing gasoline and a slowdown in electric-vehicle adoption exacerbate supply vulnerabilities and may push pump prices toward $7 per gallon, disproportionately harming low-income residents. Public transit serves only a few metro areas while many commuters face long, congested drives, increasing political pressure on state officials. Oakland faces severe funding shortfalls prompting proposed parcel-tax increases. Corporations' reduced property-tax contributions intensify the need to reform Proposition 13 to bolster schools and services. A governor's threat to cut university funding over anti-DEI stances has fueled accusations of pettiness.

Read at The Mercury News