In California, the solution to all ills is further taxation. Even though gas prices skyrocketed a full 12 cents over the last week, Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) wants to tax oil. “California is the only oil-producing state in the nation that does not have an oil extraction tax. States such as Texas, Oklahoma, and Alaska have such a tax, and it just makes common sense,” she said. Evans wants a 9.9 percent tax on all oil barrels drilled in the state, which runs up to $9.60 per barrel at current prices.
The effect will be to drive oil companies out of the state, and raise prices at the pump. So far, Democrats in the state capitol are concerned about neither of those eventualities. They’re more concerned about how to grab more cash to waste on union giveaways to ensure their own re-elections.