Why Are We Paying More at the Pump? Maricopa Deserves Answers — and Action

By Chrystal Allen-O'Jon | Candidate for Maricopa City Council

I'll be upfront with you: I drive an electric vehicle, so I'm not personally feeling the sting every time I pull into a Maricopa gas station. But here's the thing — I don't have to feel it myself to know it's wrong. I hear it from neighbors. I see it every time I drive past the pump prices on my way through town. And I've done the homework on why it keeps happening.

The gap between what Maricopa residents pay for gas versus what our neighbors in Casa Grande pay — sometimes a dollar or more per gallon — is not a coincidence. It is a structural problem that no one in city leadership has ever seriously tried to fix. That changes if you send me to council.

So Why Is Our Gas So Much Higher?

Several things are working against us at once:

Arizona has no refineries. Every gallon of gas we pump is imported, mostly from California. That's a seven-day pipeline haul — and we pay for every mile of it.

We sit in an expensive supply overlap zone. California suppliers cover western Arizona. Texas and New Mexico suppliers cover the eastern third. Maricopa falls right in the middle — which means we often get the worst pricing from both directions.

We're required to use a premium "clean blend" gasoline. Because of smog regulations, Maricopa and much of Pinal County must use a specially formulated fuel that costs more to produce. Casa Grande, just down the road, doesn't always face the same requirement.

We don't have enough competition. A handful of stations serving a booming population means almost zero pricing pressure. Retailers have little reason to compete — and so they don't.

None of these factors are things a city council member can snap their fingers and fix overnight. But none of them are permanent, either — not if we have leadership willing to push back.

What I'll Actually Do About It

Here's my five-point plan, and I want to be specific because vague promises don't lower gas prices:

1. Recruit High-Volume, Low-Cost Fuel Retailers

A Costco or Sam's Club gas station alone has historically pushed local prices down by 10 to 20 cents per gallon in nearby markets. I will work with our economic development team to actively court these brands — and streamline the permitting and zoning hurdles that currently make it harder for new stations to open here. More competition is the single fastest lever we have.

2. Attract a Truck Stop or Travel Center Near SR-347

Truck stops like Love's, Pilot, and Flying J price fuel aggressively because of the sheer volume they move. Our location near I-10 makes Maricopa a legitimate candidate for this kind of development. It also creates real, local jobs — which ties directly to what I'm fighting for on the economic development front.

3. Push the State to Review Our Clean-Blend Designation

The EPA's clean-blend fuel zone was drawn based on data that may no longer reflect current conditions. I will work with our state legislators to formally request a review — and advocate for Pinal County cities like Maricopa to be evaluated separately from Maricopa County. If the science supports a change, we should be fighting for it.

4. Create a Public Gas Price Transparency Dashboard

Every month, Maricopa residents should be able to see exactly how our gas prices compare to Casa Grande, Pinal County, and the state average — in plain language, publicly posted. Accountability starts with visibility. When the gap is visible, there's pressure to close it.

5. Explore a Regional Fuel Cooperative with Neighboring Cities

Maricopa, Casa Grande, and other Pinal County cities share the same infrastructure challenges. A regional purchasing cooperative for municipal fleet vehicles would lower costs for taxpayers directly — and send a signal to suppliers that this region is organized and serious about better deals.

This Is a Kitchen-Table Issue

I drive electric. But my neighbors don't all have that option. The working mom doing three school runs a day doesn't. The small business owner running deliveries across town doesn't. The caregiver — and I am one — who logs hundreds of miles a month for a veteran family member doesn't always have a choice about what they drive or where they fill up.

Every extra dollar spent at the Maricopa pump is a dollar not spent at a local restaurant, a dollar not saved for a child's future, a dollar not put back into our community. Multiply that across thousands of households filling up every week, and you're talking about real money draining out of Maricopa.

We've been patient. We've been polite about it. But patience without accountability is just acceptance — and I'm not willing to accept this for our neighbors.

If you're tired of paying Maricopa prices for gas when Casa Grande is right down the road, I want to hear from you. And when I'm on council, I want to do something about it.

Chrystal Allen-O'Jon is a candidate for Maricopa City Council in the July 21, 2026 Primary Election. She is the publisher of Maricopa Lifestyle Magazine, co-founder of the Black Maricopa Chamber of Commerce, and co-founder of the Maricopa Veteran Care Center.

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