Thanks to multiple taxes and regulations the Golden State inflicts on gasoline, the state has the highest gas prices in the U.S.. However, according to the L.A. Times, none of those facts, including a lack of scientific proof that they contribute to climate change, prevented Petaluma, California politicians from banning new gas stations within city limits and other cities following suit.

On Monday, the Los Angeles Times reported:

“We didn’t know what we were doing, actually,” said Petaluma Councilwoman D’Lynda Fischer, who led the charge last year to prohibit new gas stations in the city of 60,000. “We didn’t know we were the first in the world when we banned gas stations.”

Since Petaluma’s decision, four other cities in the Bay Area have followed suit, and now, leaders in California’s most car-centric metropolis are hoping to bring the climate-conscious policy to Southern California.

It opens a new front in California’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and already is generating opposition from the fuel industry, which argues consumers would suffer.

Obviously wanting California residents to suffer even more, despite the Golden State experiencing rolling blackouts resulting from a lack of wind and solar power and even state analysts warning thousands of automotive jobs would be lost, Gov. Gavin Newsom banned the sale of gas-powered vehicles in 2035 in favor of electric ones by executive order two months ago.

At the time, Newsom justified his decree stating that it is an opportunity to transform California’s economy (sound familiar?) while praising the market in so-called zero emission electric vehicles. However, the governor would not say why he resorted to forcing the issue on people rather than letting consumers decide for themselves.

As of now, electric vehicles are in short supply due to a lack of manufacturing capacity along with raw materials and, consequently, their prices have gone up. Even if there weren’t any shortages or higher prices, electric vehicles come with high safety risks, and are very expensive both at the point of purchase and to repair.

None of the costs or job losses resulting from their policies phase California’s anointed politicians and bureaucrats. They do not have their state’s resident’s best interests in mind, only continuing to pursue their train wreck … er … heaven on Earth by any means necessary.