Thanks to cap-and-trade on top of other progressive taxes, Washington passed California for the highest gasoline prices in the nation. It’s a dubious honor, but someone has to hold it.
Gasoline price image courtesy of the AAA.
According to the AAA, Washington state just topped California for the highest gasoline prices in the nation. Congratulations!
The average price in Washington is $4.981. That’s 13.7 cents more per gallon than California and a whopping $2.02 more than the Mississippi average of $2.959.
Mississippi has the lowest average gasoline price in the nation. Click on the above link for an interactive map.
Washington State Imitates California
The folks in Olympia have dethroned California to claim the distinction of the country’s highest gasoline prices. Credit goes to their cap-and-trade program and “clean fuel standard,” both of which took effect this year. California pioneered these policies more than a decade ago, and Washington wants to catch up. Washington Policy Center’s Todd Myers estimates that cap-and-trade adds 45 cents a gallon to price of gas—about twice as much as California’s program.
The climate policies are intended to punish fossil-fuel consumption, but they punish lower- and middle-income folks who spend more of their income on fuel. That’s not enough punishment for the Seattle City Council, which now wants to impose a new 2% capital gains tax. Washington long maintained no income tax, which made it more attractive to businesses and high earners. But two years ago Democrats in Olympia imposed a 7% tax on capital gains over $250,000.
The Washington Supreme Court this spring used legal legerdemain to uphold the tax despite a 1933 precedent that prohibits a progressive income tax. Seattle progressives want to exploit this tax loophole. “People are eager for a fair and reasonable tax system because we currently suffer from the most regressive taxes in the nation,” City Councilman Alex Pedersen said. Tell that to drivers.
California Pride
Given that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, California should be proud of what it has accomplished.
For example, California leads the nation in net migration.
Californians are so proud that Millennials Lead the Way on the Great Migration From California to Texas
The California pride list keeps growing.
California Tops the List of Worst Places to Look for an Affordable Home
California has the top 14 least affordable cities in the entire nation for those looking for their first home. Wow. Congratulations!
Everett, Washington is well down the list in spot 21. Everett will have to try much harder. But another 5 percentage points or so can put Everett in the top 10. That’s doable, with a modicum of effort.
For more discussion on the worst places to break into the housing market, please see The Starter Home Is No More, Even in Second Tier Markets
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