Steve Hilton’s $3.00 Gas Special Draws in Crowds in Goleta
GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) – Using a special $3.00 gas deal in Goleta, Republican Gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton says low gas prices are possible.
He connected with longtime local gas station owner John Price who owns several locations on the South Coast and for this political stop the site on Storke Road with 12 pumps was the highlighted location.
150 vehicles were allowed in and each driver could get 12 gallons.
The line of cars went down the street with each driver getting a number until they all went through for their $36. purchase.
Hilton filled up many of the cars. He said, “we are being ripped off. Californians are being ripped off by the government and it starts with the taxes.”
He said the taxes are too high and the funds are not always going where drivers expect them to end up. He says some goes to the high speed rail plan, which he opposes. “We pay the highest taxes in the country in California and we get the worst results.”
He also says the highways are in poor shape in many areas.
Road costs are also excessive according to the calculations by Hilton. “It costs four times as much in California as it costs in any other state,” he said.
Politics aside the drivers were thrilled. Some waited at 8:30 a.m. for the promotion to start at 10 a.m.
The Central Coast Republican Party Director Bobbi McGinnis said, “$3.00 a gallon gas. They have it in Texas , they have it in Idaho , they have it in Tennessee why can’t we have it here?”
Valentine Valerdi stood by his truck and said, “I used to fill this baby with $50 bucks now it is $80. “
Charles DiMauro is a strong Republican supporter with American flags flying off the back of his truck. He says Hilton would be “the best Governor.” He agrees, “we should just get rid of the taxes that we say are going to the roads and make everything cheap again or affordable. We need to survive here in California. “
One of the first drivers, Sally Hershberger said she sees it differently. “I like the roads the way they are and California has some of the best public transportation system there is. I am ok with the gas taxes and that is not what is going on, it is because of the war.”
When it comes to the supply chain, “in 1975 there was 42 refineries now there at six and they just keep closing up,” said Price who pointed out the companies are scaling back in both Northern and Southern California.
Hilton said he favors pumping California offshore oil into California refineries instead buying gas from the other side of the world.
Later in the day the Fuel Depot went back to the gas price under the current conditions which is $5.85 a gallon for unleaded 87 octane regular.
Up the street, another station, run by Chevron is selling the gas for $7.00 a gallon.
Democratic Candidate Xavier Becerra has not commented on this campaign gas stop.
Hilton says he may do it again somewhere else in the state before the November 3rd election.
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