Auto Club: Gas Prices Continue To Tumble Before July 1 Tax Hike

Southern California gas prices are falling fairly rapidly but that drop could stop on July 1 when a 5.6-cent increase in the gas tax takes effect, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail statewide average is $3.85 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is seven cents lower than last week.
 
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.75 per gallon, which is eight cents lower than last week, 28 cents lower than last month, and five cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.74, which is seven cents below last Thursday, 28 cents below last month, and three cents higher than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.86, which is seven cents less than last week, 24 cents lower than last month, and nine cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $3.68, which is eight cents lower than last week, 27 cents lower than last month, and six cents higher than last year. In San Bernardino, the $3.73 average price is seven cents lower than last week, 27 cents lower than last month, and six cents higher than a year ago today.

“Prices for regular unleaded are now within a nickel of the prices for regular unleaded at this time last year,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “If the decreases continue at this pace through the end of the month, we could just see the gas tax increase absorbed by a slower decrease of prices at the pump.”

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on June 20, averages are: