The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County rose nine-tenths of a cent Sunday to $4.909, its third consecutive increase.
The average price is one-tenth of a cent more than one week ago, but 3.9 cents less than one month ago and $1.388 less than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. It has dropped $1.585 since rising to a record $6.494 on Oct. 5.
The Orange County average price rose for the fourth consecutive day, increasing 1.3 cents to $4.848. It is 1.7 cents more than one week ago, but 5.8 cents less than one month ago and $1.356 lower than one year ago.
The Orange County average price has dropped $1.611 since rising to a record $6.459 on Oct. 5.
The annual increase in the state gas tax to fund maintenance to the state highway system and local roads went into effect Saturday. The increase is 4 cents per gallon.
“Gas prices have been trending down in the last couple of weeks so drivers may not see much of an increase in prices,” Doug Shupe, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s corporate communications manager, told City News Service. “However, wholesale Los Angeles gas prices did rise by about nine cents (Friday) so if that trend sustains itself next week, we could see increases both from the tax and the gas cost itself.
“Last year gas prices were rapidly decreasing from their records of near $6.50 a gallon so the gas tax increase was not even noticed,” Shupe continued. “In years prior to that, gas prices gradually rose after July 1 over a couple of days by the amount of the tax increase, but sometimes fell shortly afterward.”
The national average price dropped for the ninth consecutive day, decreasing three-tenths of a cent to $3.535. The national average price is 3.9 cents less than one week ago, 3.2 cents less than one month ago and $1.287 less than one year ago. It has dropped $1.481 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.