California Elected Officials Asked to Take Immediate Action Vowing to Reverse Affordability Crisis
'It's time for lawmakers to show they're serious about stopping unnecessary cost increases,' said WSPA President and CEO Catherine Reheis-Boyd.
'It's time for lawmakers to show they're serious about stopping unnecessary cost increases,' said WSPA President and CEO Catherine Reheis-Boyd. 'That's why we've created the California Energy Affordability Promise. Californians deserve a signed pledge from their leaders to vote against anything that makes life more expensive.'
The Energy Affordability Promise asks lawmakers to side with consumers and block any more government-imposed costs from taxes, fees and other policies.
Californians can visit CAEnergyAffordabilityPromise.com to stand up against higher prices by sending a letter to their legislators and local officials that says: 'Right now, nearly 30% of the per-gallon price of gasoline is due to taxes and fees, according to the California Energy Commission. 1 I urge you to oppose any policy that would increase that percentage. Today, over 2.2 million Californians are an average of $821 behind on their utility bills. 2 In the last ten years, the California Public Utilities Commission has approved rate increases nearly three times higher than inflation. 3 Please oppose policies that would increase this burden on families.'
'This promise is about energy affordability, but we hope it's the start of a broader conversation about state policies that drive up the cost of other necessities like housing and food. When our leaders' words about affordability are reflected in their votes, we'll know that Californians are being heard,' said Reheis-Boyd.
The campaign will integrate with existing WSPA advocacy efforts including ' Facts Per Gallon,' ' Levanta Tu Voz ' and ' Better Way,' and will involve advertising, local coalition outreach, tabling events, and direct constituent engagement, allowing Californians to review the evidence and ask their elected representatives to sign the California Energy Affordability Promise.
Sources:
1 Estimated Gasoline Price Breakdown and Margins – California Energy Commission
2 The Public Advocates Office at the California Public Utilities Commission – 2024 Electric Rates Report
3 U.S. Energy Information Administration; California Department of Tax and Fee Administration; Low Carbon Fuel Standard based on OPIS methodology; Cap-and-Trade based on most recent Auction Settlement Price for California Carbon Allowances. All information was accessed in January 2025.
About WSPA
Founded in 1907, the Western States Petroleum Association (WSPA) is the oldest petroleum trade association in the United States. WSPA represents a dynamic membership of companies at the forefront of petroleum exploration, production, refining, and transportation, as well as leaders in renewable energy and carbon management innovations. Serving Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, WSPA is committed to providing reliable and affordable energy access for all Americans. We advocate for policies that balance social, economic, and environmental considerations. Our approach is inclusive and data-driven, as we educate government leaders, the media, and the public. WSPA strives to ensure informed policy decisions that will secure a vibrant and sustainable energy future for all.
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Los Angeles Times
5 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
‘No obvious frontrunner.' Why Harris' exit has scrambled the race for California governor
For months, candidates in the race to become California's next governor had waited for a pivotal question to be settled: Will former Vice President Kamala Harris run or not? With Harris' announcement this week that she's out, a new question arose: Who's the front-runner now? Because of Harris' star power, the answer is far from simple. For months, other candidates saw their campaign planning and fundraising undercut by the possibility she would run, meaning the race got a big reset seconds after Harris made her announcement Wednesday. Some political observers give the nod to former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, who appears to have a small leg up over her opponents. Porter was the only Democrat to receive double-digit support in multiple polls when Harris was not included in the field. A prodigious fundraiser while she was in Congress representing an Orange County district, Porter reported a strong infusion of cash in the months after launching her campaign in March, and said she raised $250,000 in the 36 hours after Harris' announcement. 'The enthusiasm we're seeing from donors at every level shows that Californians know how critical this race is,' Porter said in an email blast. Other candidates — including Xavier Becerra, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration and a former California attorney general — have also tried to assert that, with Harris out, they are moving up. 'BECERRA CAMPAIGN BUILDING MOMENTUM IN 'WIDE OPEN' RACE,' read the subject line of an email sent Friday by the Becerra campaign, saying he is 'well-positioned to unite a broad swath of voters around his plans to make health care and housing less expensive and more accessible.' Outside observers, however, said that none of the candidates really stand out from the pack at the moment. 'That these remaining candidates are jockeying for bragging rights about who may be the front-runner — it's to be expected, but it's ludicrous,' said Garry South, a veteran Democratic strategist who has worked on a number of past gubernatorial campaigns, including for former Gov. Gray Davis. 'With Harris opting out, there will likely be no obvious front-runner among the remainder of the current field for quite some time,' South said. 'None of these candidates start out with statewide name recognition.' With such a wide-open field, factors such as endorsements and communication strategies will be important to watch, experts said. So will the candidates' ability to raise money and use it to broaden their appeal. 'I would start spending money on social media, on television advertising, on every single platform I could find to build up my name ID,' South said, but 'none of them have enough money to do that at the moment.' With Harris out, will she back someone else? 'Obviously if she did endorse, that would be a big plus' for whichever candidate she rallied behind, said John Pitney, a professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College. Harris has long relationships with several of the candidates in the race. A source familiar with her thinking told The Times after Harris bowed out that she was still considering whether and how to approach the governor's race. Other endorsements could affect the race as well. Hours after Harris announced her decision, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), the influential former House Speaker, appeared on CNN to endorse Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, whom she has known for years. 'We have many great candidates, one in particular Eleni Tsakopoulos, whom I support,' Pelosi said, referring to Kounalakis by her maiden name. Kounalakis' father, the wealthy developer Angelo Tsakopoulos, helped bankroll an independent expenditure committee supporting his daughter's 2018 campaign for lieutenant governor. Political observers are watching to see if he dumps money into a similar effort backing her gubernatorial campaign. Pitney said Pelosi's opinion 'would carry a lot more weight' if she were still speaker. He said it 'isn't necessarily going to sway a large chunk of the electorate,' but could be important if it sways Bay Area donors. A former GOP legislative aide and national party staffer who renounced his membership in the Republican Party the night Trump was elected in 2016, Pitney said that endorsements are far from a determining factor in today's political landscape. 'I hesitate to rule anybody out, because very often candidates seem to come out of nowhere — like Mamdani in New York City,' he said, referring to the sudden rise and stunning upset primary win of 33-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani in the New York mayoral race. Pitney added that experience in government and administrative leadership also matters, but could also cut against candidates at a time when many voters are frustrated and want something new. For example, Antonio Villaraigosa, the former state Assembly speaker and L.A. mayor who is in his 70s, 'obviously has a long history, but that long history is both an advantage and a disadvantage,' Pitney said. Villaraigosa has said his campaign is 'about the future.' But voters 'may not regard him as a fresh face,' Pitney said. None of the current candidates for governor have the same profile as Harris. In fact, they are broadly unknown to huge swaths of the electorate. That means they have their work cut out for them, Pitney and South said — namely in terms of fundraising. South said that there 'is no question that the Democratic donor base has basically been sitting on their haunches waiting to see what Harris is going to do.' But, he said, he hasn't seen any sign yet that donors have picked a favorite candidate now that she's out, either — which is a problem for candidates with little or no name recognition. 'None of these candidates in the remaining field with Harris out have enough money in the bank to run a statewide campaign for governor,' he said. South said that could change if Kounalakis gets another major infusion of cash from her father and once again taps her personal wealth. At the same time, there could also be a 'huge blowback' from that sort of splashy family spending, South said, especially if Kounalakis' opponents pounced on it as distasteful. 'We have not tended in this state to elect moneyed people who try to buy the governor's race,' he said. South said he is watching to see if big Bay Area donors decide to back Porter 'because of her profile as a progressive.' Los Angeles developer and 2022 mayoral candidate Rick Caruso 'could be a force' if he were to enter the race, Pitney said, because 'he has prominence in Southern California and also has a lot of money.' The most recent fundraising reports, which were due Thursday night, shine a light on candidates' coffers — but only through the end of June, well before Harris dropped out. The Democrats who do not have the potential to self-fund their campaigns reported having millions of dollars in cash on hand as of June 30, including some who transferred money from prior campaign committees to their gubernatorial accounts. Former legislative leader Toni Atkins reported having $4.3 million in the campaign, while raising $648,000 and spending $549,000 in the first six months of this year. Villaraigosa raised $1.1 million and spent $550,000 this year, but reported $3.3 million cash on hand based on fundraising he did last year. Becerra had $2.1 million in the bank after raising $2.5 million and spending $449,000 in the first six months of the year. Porter reported raising $2.5 million and spending $449,000 since launching her campaign in March. She said she has $2.1 million in the bank. Unlike the other candidates, Porter's campaign revealed her fundraising because her filing on the state disclosure website didn't show any dollar figures. Spokesman Nathan Click said her number of small-dollar donors crashed the state's system, and that they had been working with state officials to get the documents displayed on the secretary of state's website all day Friday. He said most of Porter's 34,000 donors contributed less than $200 each. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco reported raising $1.6 million and spending $609,000 this year, leaving him with $1 million in the bank. A few candidates reported mediocre fundraising numbers, but have personal wealth they can draw on. Kounalakis raised just over $100,000 and spent nearly three times as much during the first half of this year. She has more than $4.6 million on hand and millions more in her lieutenant governor campaign account, although some of that money can't be transferred because of campaign finance rules. Businessman Stephen J. Cloobeck, a Los Angeles Democrat, raised about $160,000 and spent $1.5 million — including more than $1 million on consultants. He had about $729,000 on hand at the end of the period. He also said he made a $10-million contribution Friday that he said 'turbocharged' his campaign. 'One of my many advantages is that I'm not a politician and I am not compromised,' Cloobeck said. Former Fox News host Steve Hilton, a Republican candidate, raised about $1.5 million, of which $200,000 was a personal loan. Hilton spent about $1 million and has a little less than $800,000 in the bank. At the lowest end of the fundraising were former state controller Betty Yee, who raised almost $238,000 and spent $255,000, with $637,000 on hand; and state schools superintendent Tony Thurmond, who raised about $70,000, spent about $180,000 and had almost $560,000 on hand. Both Yee and Thurmond told The Times last month that fundraising had slowed while Democratic donors waited on Harris to make a decision.
Buzz Feed
a day ago
- Buzz Feed
Kamala Harris Says The System Is Broken
Sorry Californians, former vice president Kamala Harris isn't running for the state's next governor after her failed 2024 presidential bid. On July 30, Kamala shared why she decided not to throw her hat in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2026. "I love this state, its people, and its promise. It is my home," she wrote. "But after deep reflection, I've decided that I will not run for Governor in this election." In the statement, she explained she spent the last six months "reflecting on this moment in our nation's history, and the best way for me to continue fighting for the American people and advancing the values and ideals I hold dear." "I am a devout public servant, and from the earliest days of my career, I have believed that the best way I could make a difference in people's lives and fight for a better future was to improve the system from within. And it has been a profound honor to do that work and serve the people of California and our nation–as a prosecutor, Attorney Gnereal, United States Senator, and Vice President." And on Thursday, Kamala appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and explained why she isn't running for any public office. "To be very candid with you, I don't want to go back in the system. I think it's broken," she said, explaining she will use the time instead to travel and meet the people without asking for their vote. When Stephen said her response was "harrowing" and it sounds like she doesn't want to "stay in the fight," Kamala pushed back. "Oh no, I'm absolutely going to stay in the fight. That's not going to change. I'm absolutely going to be part of the fight. But I think that we have to acknowledge and agree that... the power is with the people." Well, the people have heard Kamala's reasons for not running for California's governor and not going "back in the system." They're frustrated, disheartened, and a few are understanding. Here is what the people are saying: There were some people who believed we really took the former vice president for granted. Others felt that maybe the United States, in this timeline, wasn't ready for someone like her to help lead the government. And by someone like her, they made it clear she was definitely qualified to hold office, but understood why she needed to step away. Even celebrities like Sophia Bush and Michelle Monaghan chimed in to praise the former vice president. Understanding, as some might be, folks were definitely "frustrated" that her loss led to this current Trump era. What do you think about Kamala not wanting to return to the "broken system," or run for California's governor? Share your thoughts in the comments or use this anonymous form.
Politico
2 days ago
- Politico
Cash flows to Porter and dries up for Kounalakis
BRINGING RECEIPTS — It's hardly field-clearing money. But Katie Porter outraised her opponents for California governor since launching her campaign, racking up $3 million between March and June, even as many donors stayed on the sidelines waiting to see if Kamala Harris would enter the race. And then there's this … Porter received a $250,000 donation windfall in the 36 hours since Harris announced she wasn't running, her campaign exclusively told our Melanie Mason. That spike, paired with fundraising figures disclosed last night before a month's-end reporting deadline, is the latest sign — after her lead in public polling — of Porter's early edge in a Harris-less 2026 field. The former Orange County representative and law professor's contributions were inflated by a nearly $1 million transfer from other accounts. But Porter still has a list of national small-dollar donors to tap into, and most of her money came from donations of less than $5,000, averaging $33, according to her campaign. 'I'm very grateful for the outpouring of support our campaign has received,' Porter said in a statement. 'The enthusiasm we're seeing from donors at every level shows that Californians know how critical this race is—our next Governor must have the grit to stand up to Trump and determination to tackle California's biggest challenges.' Even with the transfer from other accounts factored in, Porter bested her competition. She announced her campaign in March, giving her only part of the semiannual reporting period ending in June to raise money, but also providing her a likely surge from loyal donors who usually shower campaigns soon after they launch. She raised more than she spent — roughly $1 million, her campaign said — an important stat that Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and the eccentric, largely self-funded entrepreneur Stephen J. Cloobeck cannot claim. That leaves her with around $2 million in the bank headed into a mad dash for donors evaluating the field. The large crop of Democrats vying to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom didn't shatter any donation records with the former vice president's specter looming over the political class. But some came closer to Porter than others. Xavier Becerra: Becerra, the former Health and Human Services secretary, pulled more than $1.3 million and transferred another $1.1 million from his congressional campaign committee, leaving him with around $2.1 million banked, as we previously reported. He spent $450,000. Antonio Villaraigosa: He raised just more than $1 million and spent $470,000, leaving the former Los Angeles mayor with $3.3 million on hand. Villaraigosa is the rare Democratic candidate who could struggle without Harris in the field, though, as he loses the opportunities he took to criticize her for perceived vulnerabilities — including her public discussion of former President Joe Biden's fitness, or lack thereof. (Granted, he has blasted Becerra for the same reason, and can continue to do so.) Toni Atkins: The former legislative leader raised just shy of $650,000 and has upward of $4.2 million on hand. Today, she's touting that cash position as well as backing from an electrical workers' union and carpenters in a memo obtained by Playbook. Atkins 'has more available resources than most other Democrats in the field,' the memo reads. 'More importantly, 93 percent of her donors come from within California, a clear sign of the grassroots power and in-state support her campaign has generated.' Betty Yee: The former controller had a comparatively slow start to the year and a high burn rate, raising $238,000 — less than the $255,000 she spent. She has $637,000 left in the bank. Eleni Kounalakis: Wednesday was a great day for the lieutenant governor — when Harris decided not to run and Rep. Nancy Pelosi expressed support for Kounalakis on cable TV. The momentum didn't last. Kounalakis reported raising barely more than $100,000 and spent nearly three times that much — $290,000 — over the same span. To make matters worse, the $9 million cash on hand that her team touted Wednesday didn't materialize. She technically has only $4.6 million on hand in her governor's race account, with an additional $4.6 million stowed away in her lieutenant governor's account that can't all be transferred due to campaign finance limits. Stephen J. Cloobeck: The entrepreneur is a billionaire and acting like it. He churned through $1.5 million, spending $1.1 million-plus on consultants and $26,500 flying private from Los Angeles to Sacramento. That's far more than the $160,000 he raised, and he now has just $729,000 on hand. But Cloobeck won't let his account run dry. He reported pouring another $10 million of his fortune into the race Thursday. Tony Thurmond: Thurmond's bid to become the first state superintendent to jump straight to the governor's mansion did not inspire a ton of donations. He raised only $70,000, spent $180,000 and had $558,000 on hand at the end of June. REPUBLICANS NECK AND NECK — Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco raised $1.6 million, while former Fox News host Steve Hilton raised around $900,000 less. Their similar totals, which include a $200,000 personal loan from Hilton to his campaign, make clear that the GOP hasn't coalesced around a candidate, and cash will be at a premium now that Harris isn't providing a valuable foil to Republicans. Bianco burned $609,000 and has $1 million socked away while Hilton spent $1 million and has just under $800,000 left. GOOD MORNING. Happy Friday. Thanks for waking up with Playbook. Like what you're reading? Sign up to get California Playbook in your inbox, and forward it to a friend. You can also text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as 'CA Playbook' in your contacts. Or drop us a line at dgardiner@ and bjones@ or on X — @DustinGardiner and @jonesblakej. WHERE'S GAVIN? Nothing official announced. Big News: On Wednesday, Aug. 27, POLITICO is hosting its inaugural California policy summit. At The California Agenda, some of the state's most prominent political figures will share the stage with influential voices in tech, energy, housing and other areas to chart the path forward for a state at the forefront of critical policy debates. The live and streamed event is free, but advanced registration is required. Request an invite here. 2028 WATCH HARRIS THE OUTSIDER — Harris profusely denied that she stayed out of the governor's race to run for another office: 'No, no, no,' she told late night's Stephen Colbert in an interview that aired Thursday evening. But her effort to put distance between herself and government institutions is hardly unique among future presidential aspirants. The onetime California attorney general, senator and vice president said the reason she stayed out was 'more, perhaps, basic' than leaving the door open to a presidential run. She was tired from working from within a system that she for decades defended as an elected official, first when she became a local prosecutor in the Bay Area. 'Recently I made the decision that,' Harris said, 'for now, I don't want to go back in the system. I think it's broken.' She expressed doubt that Democratic institutions have been strong enough to defend 'our most fundamental principles' during Trump's second term. Harris reiterated that her near-term plans are to travel the country on a sort of listening tour. On Biden … 'There were some who did' tell Harris to prepare for the possibility that Biden would drop out of the running, she recalled, but she asserted it 'was Joe's decision.' As for the cascade of Democrats urging Biden to drop out, she said, 'It's an instinct of mine to be someone who does not participate in piling on. And I was not going to pile on.' On her news diet … Harris said she watched lots of cooking shows after her loss and turned off the news for months: 'You know, I'm just not into self mutilation.' On Trump … The former vice president acknowledged, at Colbert's suggestion, that she predicted much of what Trump has done in his second term. 'What I did not predict was the capitulation,' she said, 'and perhaps it's naive of me, someone who has seen a lot that most people haven't seen.' 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Want to know how health care regulation, tariffs, or court rulings could ripple through the economy? Start here. CLIMATE AND ENERGY TAKING THE TEMPERATURE — After Harris' exit, climate advocates see a wide-open lane for a possible champion, especially as oil and gas companies step up their campaign contributions. Read last night's California Climate for more on who's taking money from whom, who isn't, and how the governor's race shakeup is playing out in one of the state's key policy arenas. Top Talkers TRUMP HAMMERS UCLA — 'The Trump administration has frozen hundreds of science, medical and other federal grants to UCLA worth nearly $200 million, citing the university's alleged 'discrimination' in admissions and failure to 'promote a research environment free of antisemitism,'' the Los Angeles Times writes. 'The cancellation of grants is the first large-scale targeted funding claw-back against UCLA under the Trump administration.' MONEY TROUBLES — ICE raids and deportations could cost California up to $275 billion in lost wages and other funds, a study from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute finds. USA Today reports that the institute's research director and author of the study said that the amount 'took us by surprise' and that 'we anticipated it would be big, but we didn't realize how expansive and significant a role undocumented workers play in sustaining California's economy.' CAREER MOVES — ICE says that it has made more than 1,000 tentative job offers as the Trump administration ramps up hiring, The Associated Press reports. Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said that offers were made July 4 and that 'many of these offers were to ICE officers who retired under President Biden.' AROUND THE STATE — Former Stanford and Sacramento State football coach Troy Taylor is suing ESPN over defamation claims. (The Sacramento Bee) — San Jose and San Francisco are among the top 10 metros in the U.S. for adults over 25 years old with a bachelor's degree, while four other metros in the state are among the five least college-educated nationwide, data shows. (San Francisco Chronicle) — The San Diego County district attorney has launched an inquiry after the county canceled a multimillion-dollar contract to distribute a nasal spray that can reverse opioid overdoses. (The San Diego Union-Tribune) Compiled by Juliann Ventura PLAYBOOKERS PEOPLE MOVES — Ryan Ewart has joined Southwest Strategies Group as a senior account executive. He was previously director of outreach for Assemblymember Laurie Davies. BIRTHDAYS — former state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (favorite treat: egg custard pie) … Playbook alumna Lara Korte (favorite cocktail: martini) … Newsom spokesperson Brandon Richards … Adam Ashton at CalMatters WANT A SHOUT-OUT FEATURED? — Send us a birthday, career move or another special occasion to include in POLITICO's California Playbook. You can now submit a shout-out using this Google form.
