DeSantis Campaign Press Release - Economy-Killing "Green" Mandates Have Made California Unaffordable

A middle-class family of three earning $130,000 a year faces a shocking "Cost of California" penalty of more than $26,000 per year compared to the national average. One cost driver for Californians is energy. Due to the state's excessive mandates:

• Gas in California costs at least 25% more than in other states.
• Electricity bills for California families are 48% higher than the national average.
• While wholesale natural gas prices fell 50% last winter, natural gas prices increased by 63% in California. Some Californians saw 385% higher gas bills.
• Electricity prices in California have increased roughly 80 percent since 2008, when the state began its green energy push.
• In 2022 alone, California electricity prices increased more than 15 percent.

As Californians struggle with the effects of crushing Bidenflation, Gavin Newsom has done nothing to alleviate their economic woes. On the contrary, Newsom's policies – especially his aggressive "green" agenda – have only made California less affordable and caused more pain for families trying to make ends meet. This is a key reason why under Newsom, California's population has declined for the first time in recorded history. A Spring 2023 survey by the Los Angeles Times found that 40% of Californians are seriously looking to move out of state, and 61% of those say that living in California is too expensive.

Yet Newsom is doubling down on his radical and costly green agenda. His next move? Banning gas cars and diesel trucks:

• The Newsom Administration issued a mandate requiring that all new vehicle sales in the state must be electric by 2035, taking away consumers' choices
• Last year, the California Air Resources Board banned the sale of all diesel semi-trucks by 2040 to "fight climate change and end decades of racist practices"
• California's truck ban will not only increase costs, but it will devastate the demand for liquid fuels, such as biodiesel, and cut trucking jobs across the nation.

For context, less than 19% of vehicles sold in the state last year were "Zero Emission Vehicles." California's power grid is already outdated and unstable; the state has experienced rolling blackouts in recent years. Mandating electric cars will only make things worse.

What happens when you need to evacuate to escape a wildfire, but you cannot charge your EV because there is no electricity?

Instead of providing relief to Californians who pay some of the highest taxes in the country, Newsom has pledged to spend "$54 billion in climate action". Newsom signed legislation to achieve "carbon neutrality" by 2045, which entails government mandates to replace dependable oil and gas with solar and wind energy. What does this mean for residents?

• About 70% of California homes rely on gas for heat. Newsom's administration approved a proposal to ban the sale of natural gas-powered heaters and furnaces in homes by 2030. Some Californians would be required to foot the bill for costly retrofitting to bring their appliances into compliance with the first-of-its-kind state mandate. There is currently no viable replacement for natural gas, as solar and wind are nowhere near able to meet California's electricity demands.
• Newsom's grandiose green energy scheme requires massive offshore wind power. However, as of 2023, there is no offshore wind in California. Due to excessive regulatory burdens, permitting and planning will take several more years at least. Many coastal communities oppose the development of wind farms that will industrialize one of the most naturally beautiful parts of the world.