Council Urged to Back 1-Day Gas Boycott

Councilman Joel Wachs proposed Friday that the City Council officially support a one-day gasoline boycott to protest the industry’s recent price increases.

The “Great Gas Out,” scheduled by community leaders for April 30, is designed to give consumers an opportunity to unite in showing their outrage at the oil industry by refusing to purchase gas on that day, organizers say.

Wachs was joined at a morning press conference by other community leaders, including Celes King III, state chair of the Congress of Racial Equality, and Larry Grant of the National Cultural Foundation.

Wachs said an economic boycott speaks a language the oil companies will understand.

A cyberspace call for action has been posted in the form of a chain e-mail urging all Californians to express their determination to resist escalating prices.

The protest has its own Web page, set up by Palmdale Web page designer Theresa Terry.

Organizers say city government vehicles, except those used for public safety, are expected to participate in the boycott by consolidating trips when possible while conducting business.

Change requires sacrifice, and gas station owners will be asked to bear with protesters that day, Wachs said.

As for lost sales tax revenue, Wachs said, “I don’t think cities and government should be making money off the backs of the people.” He said prices, not taxes, had increased.

Wachs urged Valley residents to support the boycott.

“People in the Valley tend to use a lot of gasoline. And they’re paying a tremendous amount more as a result of this recent [price] escalation.

“Certainly they will save as much if not more than anyone if they join with this. But they have to join with others to have the impact.”

Councilwoman Laura Chick recently proposed a motion asking for a report on the function of the California Energy Commission as it relates to the recent price increases. The report is to include an estimate of how the increases will affect the city budget and detail ways to reduce the city’s fuel expenditures.