Steve Hilton’s $3.00 Gas Special Draws in Crowds in Goleta

GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) - Using a special $3.00 gas deal in Goleta, Gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton says low gas prices are possible.

He connected with longtime local gas station owner John Price who owns several locations on the South Coast and for this political stop the site on Storke Road with 12 pumps was the highlighted location.

150 vehicles were allowed in and each driver could get 12 gallons.

The line of cars went down the street with each driver getting a number until they all went through for their $36. purchase.

Hilton filled up many of the cars. He said, "we are getting ripped off. We are getting ripped off in California!"

He said the taxes are too high and the funds are not always going where drivers expect them to end up. He says some goes to the high speed rail plan, which he opposes.

Road costs are also excessive according to the calculations by Hilton. "It costs four times as much in California as it costs in any other state," he said.

Politics aside the drivers were thrilled. Some waited at 8:30 a.m. for the promotion to start at 10 a.m.

The Central Coast Republican Party Director Bobbi McGinnis said, "$3.00 a gallon gas. They have it in Texas, they have it in Idaho, they have it in Tennessee why can't we have it here?"

"In 1975 there was 42 refineries, now there at six and they just keep closing up," said Price who pointed out the companies are scaling back in both Northern and Southern California.

Hilton said he favors pumping California offshore oil into California refineries instead buying gas from the other side of the world.

Later in the the Fuel Depot went back to the gas price it was normally charging under the current conditions which is $5.85 a gallon for unleaded 87 octane regular.

Up the street, another station, run by Chevron is selling the gas for $7.00 a gallon.

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