SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) called on Governor Newsom and the legislature to make affordability the top priority for the remainder of the legislative session, citing a new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California that shows Californians are being crushed by rising energy costs and are increasingly unsupportive of policies that make their lives more expensive.
"Sacramento keeps telling Californians that the green agenda is worth the cost," said Sen. Valladares. "This poll says that while Californians value environmental efforts, support declines when the rising costs hit the pocketbook. Hard-working Californians are struggling to make ends meet, and affordability must be a priority."
Californians Are Being Crushed by Energy Costs
According to the PPIC's July 2026 Statewide Survey, 63 percent of Californians say the cost of energy, including gasoline, natural gas, and electric utility bills, is a big problem, up 9 points since last July.
When asked specifically about gas prices at the pump, 63 percent say the current price of gasoline is a major problem, an increase of 11 points in just one year. These are not fringe concerns. These are the concerns of a supermajority of Californians across party lines, regions, and demographic groups, and they are getting worse, not better. While global supply chain disruptions can increase fuel costs, California’s policies have made us far more vulnerable to cost increases.
Economic Relief Before More Environmental Mandates
The PPIC survey also found that nearly half of Californians say the state should wait until the economy improves before taking immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
"Californians are not anti-environment," said Sen. Valladares. "They are pro-survival. When half of Californians are saying fix the economy first, Sacramento has a responsibility to listen."
Two in Three Californians Oppose the Gas Car Ban
The PPIC survey found that nearly two in three adults (66%) and likely voters (65%) oppose Governor Newsom's mandate banning the sale of all new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. Opposition to this mandate has surged 17 points since July 2021, when 49 percent of Californians opposed it. Opposition is widespread across regions and demographic groups throughout the state.
"Two in three Californians oppose the looming gas car ban," said Sen. Valladares. "That number has gone up 17 points in five years. At what point does Sacramento acknowledge that this mandate is out of step with the people it is supposed to serve?"
Californians Don’t Want to Pay More for Green Energy
The survey found that most adults, 60 percent, say they would not be willing to pay more for electricity if it came from renewable sources such as wind and solar energy. This unwillingness to take on higher costs for green energy has been the consistent majority position of Californians for nearly a decade, with a majority willing to pay only once in 2016.
Senator Valladares' Call to Action
Senator Valladares has been fighting throughout the current legislative session to lower costs for California families, including opposing gas tax increases, fighting the state's unemployment insurance debt crisis that has driven up employer payroll taxes, and pushing for greater energy independence to shield Californians from volatile global fuel markets.
"The message from Californians is unmistakable," said Sen. Valladares. "Support for more mandates declines when they translate to higher costs. Sixty-three percent say energy costs are a big problem. 65 percent oppose the gas car ban. 60 percent won't pay more for green energy. Half say fix the economy first. I have been saying this on the Senate floor all session long. It is time the majority party starts listening to the people they represent."
Sen. Valladares is calling on Governor Newsom and the legislative leadership to suspend the automatic gas tax increase, prioritize repayment of California's nearly $20 billion federal unemployment insurance debt to provide relief to employers, and pursue policies that make energy more affordable and California more energy independent.