Happy Monday, everybody! I’m sure you can all agree with me that there’s no better way to start off your week than by learning about the pain at the pump that awaits you on the way to work.
But first, HOLY SHIT. Did you see that last night?? Will Smith really did that to Chris Rock. Wild. The whole thing really invigorated my will to live. Major props to Smith for that. Major win for wife guys everywhere.
Anyway, let’s get down to brass tacks. Things aren’t great in the world of gas prices. Sure, they could be worse – but prices are going in the wrong direction. In fact, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. is now $4.25. That’s up one cent from Friday. Not great, not terrible. It’s still down from the record high of $4.33 set earlier this month.
According to CNET, the rise in prices has prompted a number of states to suspend their gas tax – including Maryland, Georgia and Connecticut. There’s also hope that relief could come at the federal level.
Introduced last month by Senate Democrats, the Gas Tax Relief Act would pause the federal fuel tax — which is about 18.3 cents a gallon for gasoline and 24.3 cents per gallon for diesel — until Jan. 1, 2023. That would save the typical American driver about $2.76 every time they filled up a 15-gallon tank.
Michigan’s Whitmer and five other Democratic governors sent a letter to House and Senate leaders this week urging them to pass the bill, which also requires the Treasury to ensure oil and gas companies pass along savings to consumers.
The Politico/Morning Consult poll found that nearly three-quarters (73%) of Americans want the tax suspended, including majorities of both Democrats (75%) and Republicans (77%).
Let’s take a look at today’s gas price winners and losers.
Here is where you can find the highest average gas prices in the country in order of highest price for a gallon regular:
- California - $5.92 Regular | $6.12 Mid | $6.25 Premium | $6.43 Diesel
- Nevada - $5.25 Regular | $5.45 Mid | $5.67 Premium | $5.34 Diesel
- Hawaii - $5.13 Regular | $5.33 Mid | $5.59 Premium | $5.53 Diesel
- Washington - $4.74 Regular | $4.96 Mid | $5.14 Premium | $5.55 Diesel
- Alaska - $4.73 Regular | $4.91 Mid | $5.10 Premium | $5.16 Diesel
Here is the lowest average price of gasoline in the country in order of lowest price per gallon of regular:
- Missouri - $3.79 Regular | $4.05 Mid | $4.34 Premium | $4.74 Diesel
- Kansas - $3.80 Regular | $4.06 Mid | $4.33 Premium | $4.77 Diesel
- Oklahoma - $3.81 Regular | $4.10 Mid | $4.33 Premium | $4.77 Diesel
- Arkansas - $3.82 Regular | $4.14 Mid | $4.43 Premium | $4.83 Diesel
- Maryland - $3.82 Regular | $4.30 Mid | $4.56 Premium | $4.73 Diesel
So, what have we learned? Gas prices are still bad and Will Smith really knows how to slap the piss out of someone in front of tens of millions of people. See y’all tomorrow.