VILLARAIGOSA ROLLS OUT GAS PRICE RELIEF PLAN
Trump’s Aimless War in Iran Sends Gas Prices Skyrocketing
LOS ANGELES, CA — Today, Antonio Villaraigosa released his plan to lower gas prices for California working families, protect jobs, and stabilize the state’s energy future.
“Donald Trump’s war of choice in Iran has driven up oil prices worldwide and here in California, and that’s hitting our families hard every time they pull up to the pump,” said Antonio. “We have a responsibility to act here at home on the things we can control. My plan takes immediate, practical steps to lower costs now.”
As reported by AAA, gas prices in California have spiked $0.94 per gallon since the start of Donald Trump’s costly foreign entanglement in Iran.
Antonio’s plan focuses on what California can do to deliver immediate relief for working families and set clear steps to stabilize supply, reduce regulatory costs, and invest in cleaner energy produced in California.
Antonio’s plan, available online, focuses on six priorities:
Lower gas prices for working families through a California Fuel Affordability Guarantee that provides automatic relief when prices spike
Protect California’s refining capacity to prevent more closures and avoid supply shortages
Cut regulatory red tape that increases costs for consumers
Invest in the future of energy through carbon capture, clean fuels, and advanced technologies
Maintain strong environmental protections while ensuring policies remain achievable and cost effective
Reform and overhaul CARB to increase accountability and limit cost burdens on Californians
“Californians are getting hammered at the pump because Sacramento has made decisions that drive up costs and reduce supply,” said Antonio. “We can lower prices, protect good-paying jobs, and still lead on climate change if we take a practical approach that puts working families first.”
Impact On Gas Prices:
Combined supply-side and demand-side actions in this section (margin monitoring, LCFS cost containment, direct relief during spikes) could close up to half of California’s $1.40/gallon premium over the national average, saving the average household $700+ per year.
Retaining California’s remaining refining capacity prevents the projected $1.21+/gallon price increase from further closures — saving a typical two-vehicle household $1,200 to $2,400 per year at the pump.
An immediate moratorium on new cost-increasing CARB regulations, combined with mandatory cost-benefit analysis and a statutory consumer cost cap, would halt the regulatory escalation that has added more than $0.50 per gallon to California gas prices and driven refineries out of the state.
California faces a supply as refineries shut down across the state. Phillips 66 closed its Wilmington facility in 2025, and Valero plans to close its Benicia refinery by spring 2026. These closures remove nearly 20% of California’s refining capacity and put more pressure on already high gas prices.
The plan makes clear that California can meet its climate goals and keep energy production instate. Increasing reliance on foreign oil raises costs and shifts emissions overseas without reducing global pollution.
Antonio’s website details how refinery closures, overlapping regulations, and supply constraints push California gas prices above the national average. It also outlines specific steps to bring those costs down.
View the full plan HERE: antonio2026.com/gas
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