Inslee’s cap and trade program gives state the nation’s highest gas prices, yet governor blames oil companies

Sen. Jeff Wilson, R-Longview, released the following statement Thursday, responding to Gov. Jay Inslee’s attack on Washington oil refiners at a morning news conference. The governor asserted that oil companies are “price-gouging” by passing the high costs of the state’s new cap and trade program to consumers, and promised to introduce legislation without providing details. Washington’s gas prices are currently the highest in the nation, according to data collected by the American Automobile Association. Wilson said:

“The governor’s news conference was one of the strangest spectacles I have seen – 25 minutes of ‘blame everyone but me.’ We saw him blame oil refiners for high gas prices. We saw him blame Republicans for daring to point out this is an artificial crisis, created by legislation and administrative rules written by the Department of Ecology. But we didn’t see him step up and take personal responsibility for the damage his program is doing to the Washington economy and the hardship it is placing on the populace.

“The governor wanted to make Washington a national leader in climate legislation. He succeeded in making Washington the national leader in high gas prices.

“I think the furor is just beginning. The public has caught on, and the people aren’t interested in excuses. The program was the governor’s idea, and we tried to tell him what would happen. He just kept telling everyone they were wrong and insisted this would cost pennies on the gallon. Now we are seeing what happens when you cross bullheadedness with arrogance, and ignore basic principles of economics.”