Indio gas station sells gas for $1.99 for tax repeal signature drive
The Arco Station on Jefferson and Avenue 42 in Indio had the cheapest gas in the whole Coachella Valley for three hours today. The cost undercutting wasn’t some viral marketing move, however. The price had a political purpose.
From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., the Arco station welcomed activists for a rally to support a campaign to repeal the California gas tax.
I n November, the statewide gasoline excise tax jumped to 41.7 cents per gallon, an increase of 12 cents. Diesel saw an even larger jump, with an excise tax bump of 20 cents, bringing the total diesel charge to 36 cents per gallon.
Kimberlin Brown Pelzer is the Southern California honorary co-chair of the gas tax repeal campaign and a Republican candidate for U.S Congress. She said the tax bill, with revenues promised to go toward infrastructure projects and public transportation, isn’t transparent.
“The money never goes there. We already pay some of the highest gas taxes in the nation and yet we have the 4th worst roads in the nation. How is that possible?,” Pelzer said.
She’s not the only one questioning the fund.
Other activists said, “I think the majority of it is going for homeless people, illegals and the bullet train.”
But other people are standing by the tax.
“If you want quality roads and quality infrastructure, it doesn’t come free. The best way to collect it is from the user. I’m a user, so if I pay a little bit here every time, it makes a lot of sense to me,” a man in favor of the tax said.
Motorists who filled up at the station had the opportunity to sign the gas tax repeal petition for all three hours of the event. Activists say that a minimum of 500,000 signatures will be needed to get the issue on the ballot in November.
The activists say they’ll be at Chandi owned gas stations collecting signatures all week long at these locations:
1. 90-480 66th Avenue
Mecca, CA 92254
2. 52-138 Harrison St
Coachella, CA 92236
3. 48-055 Grapefruit Blvd
Coachella, Ca 92236
4. 41910 Jackson St.
Indio, CA 92203
5. 42334 Jefferson St.
Indio, CA 92201
6. 82-338 Hwy 111
Indio, CA 92201
7. 74-950 Gerald Ford
Palm Desert, CA 92211
8. 27-900 Date Palm Dr.
Cathedral City, CA 92234
9. 67625 E. Palm Canyon Dr.
Cathedral City CA 92234
10. 1717 E. Vista Chino
Palm Springs, CA 92262
11. 44333 Golf Center Prkwy
Indio, CA 92203
