Gas tax to increase next month as San Diego County gas price continues to increase

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County recorded its largest daily increase since May 6 Friday, rising 1.3 cents to $4.253, its highest amount since May 6, 2014.

Gas will jump again next month to just over 51.1 cents total per gallon on July 1.

The average price has increased nine of the past 11 days, rising 3.7 cents, including three-tenths of a cent Thursday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It is 2.9 cents higher than one week ago, 8.9 cents more than one month ago and $1.173 greater than one year ago.

“This past week, two local refineries reported flaring issues which usually translates into production issues,” said Jeffrey Spring, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s corporate communications manager. “We’ll see in the next few days how this might affect retail prices.”

The average price has risen $1.026 since the start of the year, mainly the result of a run of 87 increases in 94 days from Feb. 9-May 13 totaling 66.4 cents caused at the time by “higher oil prices and higher demand,” said Marie Montgomery, a public relations specialist with the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The large price increase from one year ago is the result of a significant decrease during the early stage of the coronavirus pandemic, when driving and demand dropped substantially because of stay-at-home orders intended to reduce the spread of the virus.

San Diego Tax Fighters Chairman Richard Rider joined Good Evening San Diego to discuss the gas tax.