Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, has raised questions about the possibility of price-fixing or other fraudulent practices in the state gasoline market.
In a letter to Xavier Becerra, the state’s attorney general, Newsom noted the fact that gas prices are routinely $0.30 per gallon higher in California than in other states. He asked Becerra to look into the causes of this phenomenon, saying that the differential appeared to be unjustified.
“There is no identifiable evidence to justify these premium prices,” he asserted in the letter.
Newsom’s request for an investigation is in line with recommendations made by the California Energy Commission (CEC). The commission began a study of gasoline pricing patterns earlier this year, following a request from the governor.