Inflation-Driven Gas-Tax Hikes Spread Across California and Neighboring States

California hikes its gas tax by 2.2 cents per gallon as part of an inflation adjustment, lifting the state tax to 63 cents per gallon and, with federal levies, nearly 75 cents per gallon; Washington, Maryland and New Jersey also enacted inflation-linked increases effective July 1, 2026 (New Jersey had already raised rates earlier in 2026), while Oregon’s proposed hike failed and New Mexico’s bill was killed, all aimed at funding transportation infrastructure like roads, bridges and ferries.