Do you have a question about my work in Congress? Are you concerned about an issue affecting the Central Valley? Join me Tuesday, July 14, at 6:00 pm PT for my telephone town hall! Your input helps me better represent you, and I hope you'll be able to join.

That's a great question, Donna. Californians already pay some of the highest gas prices in the country, and a big reason is that our state has the highest gasoline taxes and fees in America. As of July, the state gas tax increased again to 63.4 cents per gallon, and when you add all of California’s other taxes, fees, and mandates, drivers are paying more than $1.15 extra on every gallon of gas. On top of that, California requires a special gasoline blend that’s more expensive to produce and has stricter environmental regulations that increase costs. Our state also operates in a largely isolated fuel market, so when refineries close due to overregulation, people see higher prices at the pump.

That’s why I’ve repeatedly urged Governor Newsom to suspend these automatic gas tax increases and provide relief for hardworking families. Central Valley residents depend on their cars to get to work, take their kids to school, and run their farms and businesses. They shouldn’t be forced to pay even more every time they fill up their tank. We need policies that keep energy affordable, not decisions that make it harder for families to make ends meet.

This week in Kern County, Team Valadao met with Kern County Animal Services Executive Director Nick Cullens, toured the Kern County Museum with Executive Director Mike McCoy, and met with Arts Council of Kern Deputy Executive Director Elva Martinez to discuss programs serving communities across the county. In McFarland, my staff met with Police Chief Adrian Omos for a public safety update and visited the Parks and Recreation District to discuss upcoming projects. They also traveled to Delano to meet with Mosquito Abatement District Manager Jay Thao, visited the Delano Senior Center, and attended the Earlimart Irrigation District Board meeting.

The team attended the City of Hanford's 1976 Time Capsule Opening, the Semitropic Water Storage District Board meeting, and visited the Social Vocational Services office in Delano. My staff also rode along with Wasco Homeless Outreach Coordinator Mandy Bega and Community Development Director Keri Cobb, toured the California Dairies, Inc. Bakersfield plant, and visited Bryant Fuel Systems to learn more about its fuel delivery technology.

To wrap up the week, Team Valadao presented a Certificate of Recognition at the Twisted Coffee ribbon cutting in downtown Bakersfield. Finally, my staff attended the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County Summer Jobs Program graduation, where Certificates of Recognition were presented to the graduates, including our own summer intern, Ellie Lawrence.

Trying to get an answer from a federal agency can often be a time-consuming and frustrating process. If you ever need help navigating a federal agency, you can visit my website or call my Hanford office at (559) 460-6070. My team is ready to assist you!

Tratar de obtener una respuesta de una agencia federal a menudo puede ser un proceso frustrante y que requiere mucho tiempo. Si alguna vez necesita ayuda con una agencia federal, puede visitar mi sitio de web aquí o llamar a mi oficina de Hanford al (559) 460-6070. ¡Mi equipo está listo para ayudarte!

Did you know you can now sign up for texts from my office to stay up to date on my work in Washington D.C.? To sign up to receive updates from me directly to your phone, just text VALADAO to (559) 387-4346 and you will be automatically subscribed. You can also sign up for text alerts using this form here.  

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