The final countdown for America’s 250th birthday is on. Families will be planning road trips, parades, vacations, reunions, and cookouts to celebrate the greatest nation in history. But in six states, politicians have a different idea for the party: raise taxes.
Beginning July 1, drivers in California, Washington, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and Mississippi are scheduled to see higher state gas taxes. In other words, as the country prepares to celebrate casting aside a tax-heavy king in favor of freedom, these states will use the occasion to fatten government coffers one gallon at a time.
The worst offenders will be no surprise. California, Washington and Illinois — we’ll call them the Axis of Glut.
Their governors are often the first to fake outrage when gas prices rise. They blame oil companies. They blame “price gouging.” They blame world events. They blame everyone except the politicians who keep piling taxes, mandates, and regulations onto every gallon drivers buy.
Yet these same states already have some of the worst gas prices in the nation, some of the highest gas taxes in America, and now they are getting ready to raise those taxes again.
California’s gas tax is already the highest in the country and is scheduled to climb again on July 1, from 61.2 cents to 63.4 cents per gallon, under the state’s annual inflation adjustment. The same report noted California’s average price for regular gasoline was nearly $6 per gallon in early June.
Illinois is no better. The state says its motor fuel tax will rise on July 1 because the law requires an annual inflation adjustment. Washington joined the club with a gas tax increase last year and then baked in automatic increases going forward. Starting July 1, 2026, the state’s fuel tax rises by 2% every year unless lawmakers change the law.
This is the dirty hustle behind inflation-indexed taxes. Politicians get to raise taxes without holding a press conference to admitting it. They pass the law once, then every year drivers get mugged by a formula.
As of June 8, the national average for regular gas was $4.164, down 38.2 cents in a single month. That is welcome relief for families, workers, small businesses and anyone trying to get through summer. But the national average would look even better if it were not being anchored down by tax-heavy states that treat drivers like a rolling ATM.
The problem is not limited to the six July 1 tax-hike states. Seven of the ten most expensive states for gas are run by Democratic governors. That is not a coincidence. Taxes play a major role in the high-price reputation of many of these states. So do their regulatory regimes, special fuel rules, anti-energy policies and climate mandates that make fuel harder to produce, refine, transport and sell.
The result is predictable. Families, small businesses, truckers, and farmers all pay more. Then the same politicians who helped drive up the cost pretend they are shocked by the bill.
That is not compassion. That is government gluttony.
Supporters claim the money goes to roads and infrastructure. But that excuse only goes so far. Every tax increase is sold as necessary. Yet somehow the burden always lands in the same place: on the people who drive to work, school, church, the grocery store or a summer vacation.
That is what makes the timing so perfect, and so insulting.
America’s 250th birthday should be a celebration of freedom, independence and the rejection of government overreach. The American Revolution was born from the idea that people should not be treated as endless revenue sources for rulers who never seem to have enough.
Nearly 250 years later, millions of drivers will pull into gas stations in California, Washington, Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and Mississippi and get a reminder that some politicians still have not learned the lesson.
The country is moving toward a better energy future: lower prices, more production, more reliability and less punishment for the people who keep America moving. But these six states are choosing a different path.
America 250 should remind us why this country was born: because free people eventually get tired of being treated like revenue.
Larry Behrens is an energy expert and the Communications Director for Power The Future. He is also author of the new book “Power Restored: President Trump’s First Year and the Revival of American Energy Leadership.” You can follow him on X/Twitter @larrybehrens
This article was originally published by RealClearEnergy and made available via RealClearWire.
People driving on public roads. Those roads take a lot of money to build and maintain. Drivers should pay the cost of roads instead of expecting others to subsidize their choices. The “taxes bad” idiots should stay of from roads
Except for those enlightened ones who drive EV’s. ;)_
Why do you think EV drivers shouldn’t pay their own way?
They should. Do they?
If you think they do, please explain just how they pay the equivalent of a “gas tax”?
They should, they don’t. Neither do drivers of fossil energy vehicles. The gas taxes don’t cover the costs of roads. Drivers should have to pay the price of their choices
Maryland and New Jersey are two states where the roads are covered by gas taxes 100% The other states vary, see link below.
Also realize that people who don’t drive vehicles benefit from people who do, like truckers and delivery services, mail, ambulances, police, and fire protection all pay gas taxes.
EV’s don’t pay road taxes. Which in my view is very much wrong. Petrol shouldn’t be the only fuel taxed for road use, or road use should be taxed by weight and miles traveled.
https://taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-road-taxes-funding/
EVs currently don’t pay road taxes.
In many places, EVs don’t have to pay tolls.
EV drivers and the idiots who support them are up in arms everytime someone suggests a way so that they can start supporting the roads they use.
Cars don’t pay taxes, people do. EV owners do pay some road taxes. Not enough to cover the costs of roads, but neither do ICE drivers
Would you agree that drivers of EVs should pay the cost of their vehicles instead of expecting others to subsidise their choices?
For sure. As should drivers of fossil vehicles
We already do, through tax of petrol, diesel, road tax, etc, etc, etc, while EV drivers receive substantial subsidies and don’t pay the taxes the rest of us have to pay.
As you say, “Drivers should pay the cost of roads instead of expecting others to subsidise their choices” – so cough up, EV driver / bike ridet, or stay off the road
You don’t. Gas taxes don’t cover the cost of roads.
Road construction and repair is paid for out of taxes, not out of the goodness of politicians hearts.
Yep, and much of the mo way comes from the general fund. Gas taxes don’t cover the costs of roads
Here in Michigan, the gas tax (to which sales tax is also added) was sold to the population as a way to pay for roads and schools, as was the lottery. In reality, the revenue from both goes into the general fund, and the politicians spend it on whatever they think is popular this month. In most states, I would guess that gas taxes would easily pay for road repairs and maintenance, especially if those things were done routinely in a planned, rotated manner rather than waiting for a road to fall apart before anything besides patching were done
They also tax tires, motor oil, vehicle registrations, and some states even tax vehicles as property. Plus there are fees (spelled additional T-A-X) for vehicle “inspections” and for other things I’m sure are buried so you’re blissfully unaware.
Lets not forget that in many states, road use taxes are used for many things that have nothing to do with roads.
And road use taxes do not cover the cost of roads
And those don’t cover the costs of driving. You expect other people to pay for you to drive
Fossil fuel vehicles pay their own way. They are also charged extra to subsidize EVs.
In addition to EVs getting a free pass in regards to road use taxes.
No they don’t. You are again lying. Do you lie out of ignorance or stupidity?
Neither ignorance nor stupidity applies to lying.
Why must you always be so insulting when trying to make a point?
Agreed, and don’t mind paying for roads, but a large chunk of the money in CA , WA and IL is siphoned off for stuff like bike paths and mass transit money pits
And socialist’s (Democrat’s) pockets.
Roads are socialism
Ah yes, the old anything that isn’t pure capitalism, is a form of socialism nonsense.
Cry harder. You benefit from socialism
Yes, but there was a big difference between the “Sewer Socialists” that dominated Milwaukee’s city government from 1892 – 1960 and the redistribution politics of the Democrats who followed them in office. Frank Zeidler was a hero to my socialist father until Zeidler annexed the suburb where we lived, forcing me into the substandard Milwaukee Public School system.
Bikers and mass transit users subsidize drivers. It’s time that stopped. Drivers should pay for what they use
Do you buy the kool-aid by the barrel?
Do you mean that the roads in Virginia are maintained, they didn’t look that way when we visited a few years ago, although the current state of our roads in the U.K. leave a lot to be desired.
Virginia is trying to become “California East” courtesy of the slim Dem majority in both houses of the General Assembly. There are also a number of new taxes proposed by Dems in spite of the Dem governor’s campaign on “affordability.”
As far as road maintenance is concerned, I can’t comment. When I travel out of state, some roads are good and some are bad. Comparisons fail me.
Drivers don’t pay their share.
Care to document that, as well as document all the other things gas taxes are wasted on?
Or do you just want to keep repeating empty mantras the way you usually do?
I notice you never support anything you lie about
I notice you never support anything you lie about.
Nice argument, on a superficial level – that’s how your world works.
People paid significantly less taxes back then,
and trees had to be cut, ways flattened as nothing was there.
Nowadays they just need to repave and have highly automized, effective machines in place – yet they need more taxes?
No – its because someone has actually to pay for all the illegals, corruption etc.
Highsspeed Railways that wasted billions, yet nothing built so far.
California has spent 25 billion on homelessness in 5 years and the number of homeless people increased by more than 60% during that period .
Then there was this story about the female Sheriff asking for a surveillance cam – she was told it’d cost about 1 mio.
She did it herself for 800 bucks.
And after this tax increase – the roads will still look like shit and you’ll learn nothing.
Good god you are an idiot
Good god you are an idiot.
Typical, no attempt to actually refute any of the points raised. Just insults.
From the fire departments are socialism school of sophistry. Dismissed
As are things like sewers and roads. Socialism works
You really do not know what socialism is.
EV drivers should pay more, but pay zero gas taxes. They are much heavier and cause much more wear and tear on roads than lighter ICE equivalents do.
ICE drivers should pay their own costs instead of expecting others to subsidize their choices
We do pay our own costs.
Now about subsidies? EVs were highly subsidized with MY tax payer dollars.
Were you born stupid, or were you dropped on your head a few times as an infant?
Some taxes are necessary, therefore any level of taxes are justified.
BTW, do you condemn your EV cohorts who are blowing their tops at the idea of having to help pay for the roads they use?
Mark has become angry and so calls names
Mark calls names
I see the modes have decided not to let me respond
for some reason your comments were automatically flagged as spam. I did however just delete a couple that were empty insults.
One party states always grab the assets because there is no one to stop them.
Why is anyone surprised? A tax rate increase has nothing to do with “adjusting for inflation”.
One party states always make unfounded claims when the assets are grabbed.
WA State passed a gas tax hike in early 2025 (6¢) and then a 2% yearly increase on July 1, into the hazy future. To be honest, the roads and bridges of the State were and are in need.
don’t forget the WA state carbon tax that adds an additional 56 cents/gallon to gasoline and about 70 cents/gallon to diesel.
WA state gas prices are routinely about $1.50 / gallon above the national average in DSA King County, comrade.
They ain’t spending it on roads.
Diesel prices are a good indicator of overall consumer prices since products get delivered by diesel truck.
The Sound Transit grift won’t pay for itself dontchaknow.
I had no idea that there was a carbon tax out there and how much? Who’s absolutely ridiculous idea was that? And where does that grift-er-money go? Shocked and befuddled minds want to know. Thank God I don’t live on the left coast.
WA State passed a gas tax hike in early 2025 (6¢) and then a 2% yearly increase on July 1, into the hazy future.
An initial estimate of the additional cost was 68¢ rather than 56¢, but either is channeled into all things that are moved by car, truck, or train — so, for example, food prices have to be higher to cover transportation.
Washington state’s cap-and-invest program is officially called the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). I’ve only seen a few of the activities that have been supported — there is a website — but those will have very little effect on CO2 emissions.
Road work, much is being done. I travel sections of I-90 in the central part of the State. Work zones — several major — and many minor are evident. Three I see are: 1: The I-90 Snoqualmie Pass East Project improves 15 miles from Hyak to Easton. 2: I-90 Vantage Bridge – Replace Bridge Deck and Special Repairs. 3: East of Vantage to Moses Lake project
But what about all the “shovel ready” infrastructure talk under Barry? Was nothing done? The horror! Lied to by Dems-what a surprise.
Barry was and remains a first rate blovater. “Shovel read” is not in the mind of any public project manager.
When he said “shovel ready”, he meant ready to shovel taxpayer money into the trough his donors fed from. (Solyndra, for example.)
“Shovel ready” as in “spreading the bullshit.”
Shovel against the tide?
Or shovel ____?
Washington State government is mandated by the Climate Commitment Act to reduce our state’s carbon emissions 40% below 1990 levels by 2030.
The 2030 target and the out-year targets beyond 2030 are mandated targets, not aspirational targets.
Next to no progress has been made in reaching the mandated 40% by 2030 target. The only way to get there from here is to establish a government-enforced carbon fuel rationing program combined with a steep tax on all carbon fuels.
It might serve as a wake up call for the west-siders who enacted the ridiculous law called the Climate Commitment Act to see a lawsuit filed in a state court demanding that the CCA be fully complied with.
And then watch the backtracking which would most certainly follow a ruling by a state court that Washington State government must fully comply with the law.
The end result of all states reducing their CO2 emissions will be what?
So far, nothing. Atmospheric CO2 keeps rising. Temperature trend keeps rising.
I’d say, all that cost and effort for no results is a recipe for disaster.
Direct taxes and action are problematic with the punters so it’s best to be sneaky about all that-
Labor changes terms to its ‘whatever-it-takes’ subsidy for renewables
The majority of the recent increases in the price of gas has nothing to do with taxes. Or haven’t you heard of the Strait of Hormuz?
And they will also be going down once the situation will be resolved, the taxes are forever.
That applies to all type of taxes
Gas prices here have dropped over 75 cents per gallon in the past couple of weeks.
Forever INCREASING.
I agree, lower gas taxes are needed.
What happened in the Strait of Hormuz has nothing to do with gas prices.
It has everything to do with global price settings based on the futures market.
The prices ballooned on day one when the delivery of that fuel was 2 weeks from delivery to port and maybe a month before it affected supply and demand.
Funny isn’t it how the price fluctuates on political announcements?
If it was merely based on restricted traffic in the strait, after 3 months supply and demand would have stablized.
Current prices are always based as much on what it will cost to buy the next unit, as what it cost to buy the previous unit.
I know. And many gas stations have the prices set by the corporation, not by the station itself.
Gas prices are still less than they were under St. Joe the barely coherent.
I really liked it when gas taxes actually were applied to road maintenance.
Now like Social Security, it is merely a budget line item to be spent however.
Same with property taxes that were assigned to fund schools.
Same with casino taxes.
They say one thing and do another and the voters believe them?
Agreed regarding Social Security. I asked Grok how much money would I have in my private investment account if all of my Social Security wage contributions had instead been invested wisely. I was only a middle income earner, but Grok estimates that today I would have $3.5 million in my personal retirement account, enough to sustain a comfortable lifestyle for the remainder of my life with quite a bit left over.
It chaps me to hear people say that baby boomer retirees are living off of the wages of the working young. Nonsense. We paid our way, but the federal government siphoned off and squandered SS pension money and still managed to rack up trillions of dollars in government debt.
Meanwhile, federal entitlement spending excluding Medicare and Social Security is in the order of $1 trillion annually and rising quickly. These programs are finally gaining some scrutiny for vast levels of fraud, graft and corruption.
Just wait until the extreme socialist Democrats regain power. (I hope they don’t anytime soon.) It wouldn’t take many years for the US to look like Venezuela or Cuba. The federal government and most state governments are unable or should I say unwilling to be good stewards of our resources.
Increasing gas taxes are one of the ways government extort money from citizens to spend only a fraction on the supposed target or purpose for the funds. California doesn’t even need to raise taxes on fuel. They simply need to tax all EVs at the same equivalent rate.
If you paid your way as you believe, SS wouldn’t be going bankrupt in less than a decade.
The problem has always been that early retirees took out way more than they put in, and now there is nothing left for those retiring now.
Well, in the historical perspective, the US government funded the Viet Nam war by pretty much emptying the Social Security trust fund. It we never fully repaid.
Now Social Security is a budget line item and it is the umbrella category that includes the original Social Security plus all of the other social programs.
I cannot speak to the early retirements you mentioned. I have not seen the data.
I do find it offensive that Congress gets to do their own performance review and establish their own pay raises.
I find it upsetting that as part of the Deficit Reduction Act, Congress gave themselves a hefty pay raise plus augmented free health plus a substantial retirement boost that was applied retroactively to anyone who ever sat in a congressional seat.
What can I say? More crappy government.