Gee: WA families still feeling the pinch as national gas prices fall

Washington drivers are still paying some of the highest gas prices in the country, even as the national average fell 21 cents per gallon to $3.10 in 2025.

During “The Gee & Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio, KIRO host Gee Scott blamed the state’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA), which requires fuel suppliers to purchase emissions allowances, as the key culprit.

“That cost gets passed directly to all of us at the pump,” Scott said, adding that Washington’s higher gas taxes, limited fuel pipelines, shipping rules, and low competition at gas stations also contribute to the sticker shock.

Working families bear the burden

Gee emphasized that it’s mostly working families who bear the brunt of the burden.

“This is hitting hardest for people who are barely able to afford living here,” Gee said. “Working families are making tough choices about trips or even getting to work, while the people setting these policies don’t even notice the prices.”

Both hosts criticized the state for a lack of transparency regarding the environmental payoff of the CCA. Scott cited a recent report revealing that claimed emissions reductions were overstated by orders of magnitude — 7.5 million metric tons revised to just 78,000 tons.

“Billions of dollars have been raised, but there’s no way of tracking what’s actually working to help the environment,” Gee said.

KIRO host Ursula Reutin echoed the sentiment, stressing that policy costs should not outweigh tangible benefits.

“Until the state can show this policy actually works, maybe they should focus on lowering our gas prices,” she said.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.