Gov. Newsom did not personally “pass” the California gas tax; the tax increase came from a 2017 law and a voter-approved 2018 process, and the state later applied a small annual inflation adjustment. California’s official 2025 fact check says the July 1 increase was 1.6 cents per gallon, approved by the Legislature in 2017 and California voters in 2018, before Newsom took office.
What actually happened
- SB 1 in 2017 raised fuel taxes and fees to fund road repair, and the Legislature passed it with the required support.
- Voters later rejected a repeal effort in 2018 , which kept the law in place.
- The annual increase is automatic , tied to inflation, so it does not need a fresh vote every year.
Where Newsom fits in
Newsom’s role was mostly to administer and defend the policy once he was governor, not to create the original tax hike himself. In 2019, his administration also moved some transportation funding toward climate-related projects, which critics described as a diversion from road spending, while Newsom said the law remained in effect and the funds were being used legally.
Why people say he “passed” it
The phrase usually comes from political shorthand. Critics often blame the current governor for whatever gas-tax increase shows up during his term, even when the underlying law was enacted earlier. That can make it sound like Newsom created the tax, when the more accurate answer is that he inherited and managed it.
TL;DR
Newsom did not originally pass the gas tax. The main gas-tax increase was enacted under SB 1 in 2017, preserved by voters in 2018, and later adjusted annually for inflation.