Grand Canyon Times

Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego has appealed to Arizona leaders to use the remaining $2 billion the state has in federal relief funds to lower gas prices.

Gallego’s plea came with gas prices in Arizona reaching $4.66 per gallon, according to a story by ABC 15, as well as companies such as Chevron and Shell reporting record profits during the first quarter of the year. Those profits are coming at the expense of consumers like Saundra Cole, who is retired and lives on a fixed income.

"I just spent $40 to fill my car halfway up yesterday and that's a lot of money. I was paying $20 to fill my car up," Cole said in the story.

Gallego said he hoped Congress would step in to help, but he doesn’t expect support on the federal level.

"We do need a willing partner on the other side. I just don't see it," Gallego said during a video conference with Cole. However, Gallego said Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey could use state relief funds to make up the difference.

"The quickest effect that we can do is get the governor to spend the CARES Act money to get people relief at the pump right now," Gallego said. 

The governor’s office, however, dismissed the idea.

"Serious, long-term solutions are what's needed, and a good place to start would be to curb out-of-control federal government spending," a spokesperson for Ducey said.

Cole said she doesn’t trust either side to do the right thing.

"I don't see any hope for us. It's upsetting,” she said. “It's very hurtful."