Gas Prices Stall For Second Week Just Before 12-Cent Tax Hike

Southern California gas prices stayed steady for a second straight week as the deadline looms for a simultaneous state tax increase and a likely smaller gas cost decrease, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail statewide average is $3.03 a gallon for regular unleaded, down one cent from a week ago.
 
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.06 per gallon, which is unchanged for two straight weeks, eight cents below last month, and 23 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.04, also unchanged for the second straight week, seven cents less than last month, and 23 cents more than this time last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.05, which is one penny lower than last week, nine cents lower than last month, and 21 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $3.00, which is the same as last week, eight cents less than last month, and 23 cents more than at this time last year.

“Next Wednesday, Southern California gas stations will be allowed to start selling the ‘winter blend’ of gasoline, which in the past has been about 12 cents a gallon cheaper to produce,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “However, oil industry analysts tell us the price difference between winter and summer blend is probably now closer to six cents per gallon. With state gas taxes also scheduled to rise by 12 cents a gallon next Wednesday, it’s likely that any price decrease we would normally see at this time of year will be reduced or eliminated.”

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Oct. 26, averages are: