Community Corner

Gas Tax Rises 3.5 Cents a Gallon Today

California fuel taxes are now 23 cents a gallon higher than the national average.

Expect a little more pain at the pump as California raises its gasoline tax Monday.

The 3.5-cent-per-gallon hike means state drivers now pay an average of 72 cents a gallon in federal and state excise and sales taxes, the highest in the nation. The national average is 49 cents a gallon. New York is second at 68.9 cents per gallon, while Alaska is lowest at 26.4 cents, according to a report in U-T San Diego.

Tax increases aside, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Orange County decreased for the seventh consecutive day, dropping 1.1 cents to $4.051. It is 7.1 cents less than one week ago but 4.7 cents more than one month ago and 33.3 cents higher than one year ago.

The average price rose on 16 consecutive days immediately before the decreases began.

The dropping pump prices follow a large decrease in wholesale gasoline prices, according to Jeffrey Spring of the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The decreases will be offset slightly by the tax hike. The California Board of Equalization is required to adjust the excise tax rate by March 1 each year to ensure revenue neutrality under a law that went into effect in 2010.

Find out what's happening in San Clementewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The price per gallon of regular gasoline in Orange County is still well above the national average of $3.50, according to GasBuddy.com, so shop wisely. 

Find the cheapest gas in San Clemente. 

–City News Service contributed to this story.  

Find out what's happening in San Clementewith free, real-time updates from Patch.



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