"We consistently pay $1 to $1.50 more for our gasoline and there's no good reason for it," says Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court. 

Californias are being treated as an ATM by oil refiners and Consumer Watchdog applauds the Governor calling for an investigation into this potential price gouging of consumers. 

Governor Newsom is asking Attorney General Becerra to open an investigation into potential gas price fixing by oil companies in California as Californias pay the highest price in the country at the pump. Consumer Watchdog applauds his request for scrutiny of this long-term price manipulation and how the Golden State Gouge affects drivers. 

Consumer Watchdog supports Governor Newsom's request for the Attorney General to open an investigation into the reasons behind California's extrordinarily high gas prices and potential price fixing by refiners to increase profits at the expense of consumers. 

Why are SoCal Gas Prices so High?

If you use a car to commute in SoCal, here’s some news you’ve already felt: gas prices have reached their highest level in five years in California, and have hit 17 straight days of increases in L.A. County.

If you have friends in other states, here’s some more news your friend has probably hipped you to: California’s gas prices are about $1.50 more per gallon than the national average ($4.13 a gallon compared to $2.67).

We’ve heard about those Saudi oil strikes at the heart of Trump administration tensions with Iran, but why is SoCal in particular seeing such dramatic spikes?

This is the sort of thing Jamie Court tracks as President of the consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, and he joined Spectrum News anchor Amrit Singh for a conversation on the “Golden State gouge,” the reasons it exists, and whether independent gas stations are slinging the same quality gas as the more expensive name brands (spoiler alert: they are).

Drivers are experiencing the 'Golden State Gouge' as gas prices soar in California. Consumer Watchdog explains that a small number of refiners control the supply of the whole state and use their ability to manipulate prices to up profits at the expense of Californians.