To the editor: The increase of gas prices continues to place financial pressure on hard-working families across California (“Newsom blames Chevron for California’s gas-price problem,” May 22). For many residents in Los Angeles County, driving is not optional. Individuals rely on their vehicles to commute to work, attend school and provide for their families by making grocery trips, in addition to other shopping trips and medical appointments. However, with California consistently having some of the highest gas prices in the nation, many individuals are struggling to keep up with daily expenses.
This problem affects not only low-income families, but also students, small-business owners and essential workers who are already facing increasing costs for housing, essentials, utilities and groceries. When gas prices increase dramatically, people are forced to make difficult choices between transportation and other necessities. The long-term consequences can include financial instability and reduced economic mobility for many Californians.
I urge Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislators to take stronger and more effective action to address this constant issue. California should more seriously consider temporarily suspending portions of the gas tax during periods of extreme price increases and invest more in affordable public transportation options for working communities. Policymakers should include transparency regarding refinery shutdowns and pricing practices that contribute sudden spikes in fuel costs.
High gas prices are more than an inconvenience; they are an economic burden that has been affecting millions of Californians. State leaders must take practical steps to provide relief and create long-term solutions for residents across our communities.
Jennifer Montoya, Los Angeles
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To the editor: I am not a supporter of Chevron or Big Oil, but Newsom is 100% wrong in intimating that all gasolines are the same. Chevron adds Techron, an excellent engine cleaner, to its gasoline. Other major brands, among them Shell, Union 76, ExxonMobil, Costco and others, add their own engine-cleaning additives to their gasoline. These are among the gasolines designated as “Top Tier.”
Off-brand gasolines do not typically add high-quality additives to their gasoline that make engines run cleaner and better. This is one of the reasons that their prices are cheaper.
I add a bottle of Techron to my gas tank every six months. I have owned more than 18 cars in my lifetime and never had one with engine problems. Case closed!
Ernest Salomon, Santa Barbara