Ahead of the California Economic Summit being held in Fresno later this week, Californians for Energy Independence is highlighting the crucial role the oil and gas workforce plays in the Central Valley.

The oil and gas industry provides 30,000 jobs and $300 million in annual tax revenues, supporting the region’s schools, roads, and public safety departments. These high-paying jobs and tax revenues are critical as the region continues to face low wages and unemployment rates that are double the statewide average.

These key facts appear in two new ads featuring Valley residents, including Jeff Tape, a local firefighter, and Palmira Hernandez, an oil and gas worker. Tape says his unit “counts on tax revenue to do our job and a big chunk of those revenues come from oil and gas production” and Palmira says she is “proud to work in an industry that contributes to the community.”

According to a 2018 analysis by Capitol Matrix Consulting, 12 percent of the gross regional product in the San Joaquin Valley region is related to energy production. In Kern County, six of the top 10 taxpayers in 2017-2018 were oil producers. 

The theme of this year’s statewide economic summit is “Regions Rise Together” and its stated goal is to “help all Californians have access to the Building Blocks of the California Dream.” As California’s leaders discuss how to “create inclusive, sustainable growth” across every region of our state, it is important for them to know that the oil and gas industry is a significant economic pillar of the Central Valley – and one that provides Californians with a safe, reliable, and affordable energy supply to help power our statewide economy.