Just got back to JAX in FL from Seattle

[at140]

I can't get over how expensive gas prices were in Seattle for my rental car compared to Jacksonville, FL
Here we pay about $2.59/gal. Seattle gas prices were $3.69/gal. $1.10 higher in Seattle!

I heard in CA gas is over $4 in many places.

Why gas is 40-45% higher in some places?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. It has a lot to do with production capacities of local refineries,

the availability of gas and raw petroleum in some areas, plus state gasoline taxes.

[Blue_true]

2. State taxes. Some states tax gas higher to pay for things like environment abatement,

water quality, ect.

[at140]

4. Yeah it's got to be local taxes

Because I have seen the maps of pipelines linking various regions and that mode of transport is not expensive.

[customerserviceguy]

28. That's what I was going to say, but

I looked it up, WA state gas tax is nearly 50 cents a gallon, while Florida's is just a bit above 40 cents a gallon.

The West coast gets gouged.

[Blue_true]

29. Good catch. The $0.10 difference in taxes doesn't explain the $1+ difference in price per gallon.

Could net demand be a factor? Gas stations in more densely populated regions likely get more demand and as a result charge more, not fair but that is one of the downsides of capitalism.

[customerserviceguy]

35. There are way more people

who live in Florida than in Washington. And I lived in WA, you don't need air conditioning in your car for more than maybe two months. In Florida, you need it most of the year, and that adds to demand for gasoline.

It's just gouging, pure and simple. Environmental laws were enacted about thirty years ago that made it prohibitively expensive to build a new filling station, and that keeps competition down.

[wasupaloopa]

3. In CA we added taxes to repair roads and a surtax has not been removed

[onecaliberal]

5. 4.15 a gallon in my city.

[at140]

19. Which city is that?

[onecaliberal]

20. Clovis

[NBachers]

6. I bought gas at Costco in California yesterday, because the price of $3.80 was the cheapest around.

It's well over $4 a gallon in many local gas stations.

[lunatica]

7. Taxes in California are very high.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

8. With all the roadways, bridges, etc.. it comes at a price.

[lunatica]

10. Well the many bridges in the Bay Area have high tolls too!

A year ago it cost 5 or 6 dollars to go from Oakland to San Francisco on the Bay Bridge. That’s every day if people commute to work. And it’s more than that for a round trip on BART. It’s nuts! When I retired I had to leave California because I would live like a pauper there. In New Mexico I live comfortably. It’s a real bonus that I like New Mexico!

[BigmanPigman]

9. It is expensive to live in CA for many reasons.

[at140]

18. CA has ridiculous taxes

Back in 1998 we bought a new home in Yuba City, CA, sight unseen, for $120k. The house was great, but new houses had to pay additional property tax called Mellow Roos. Then add the state income tax, high sales tax, high car sticker charge, high house insurance, high auto insurance.

We moved to WA state and that saved us $8000/year in taxes alone. So we didn't mind 8 month long rainy season.

[BigmanPigman]

22. Yep, a friend moved here from FL and

she couldn't believe that even her car registration was 50% higher.

[maxsolomon]

11. Seattle here. State and City taxes.

Goes down 20 cents/gallon when you leave the city limits.

But it's not just that. The oil companies like to fuck us.

WA has 5 refineries, the 5th largest capacity of all the states, but that has never translated into lower prices.

When I hear the East Coast or South complain about gas prices, I laugh.

[FakeNoose]

12. PA is an oil-exporting state (not like we used to be though)

We're still screwed by state taxes on gasoline even though we have oil companies here in PA. Like the previous posters say, the additional taxes on gasoline are an excise tax that help pay for road & bridge repairs. We've been up over $3.00 per gallon since about Feb. or March. I don't see it getting any better until fall or later. If Chump is still in office next year, the price will keep going up.

[at140]

13. 2 years ago wife and I drove from FL to WA and back

we took different routes going and coming back stopping in Phoenix area to see relatives.
It was a 7000 mile round trip! We crossed dozens of states during this trip.
Our observation was, FL has one of the best highways and rest areas.
Illinois had the worst rest areas and roads.

[mitch96]

27. "Our observation was, FL has one of the best highways and rest areas. "

We like to take care of our tourist friends... they spend lots of money here and keep taxes low..
Lowest gas price for regular in SoFla today is $2.45.9/gal.. Less in other parts of the state.
I kinda sorta like living Florida.. Hot, yes but I could not afford to live in many places I would like to live in.. YMMV
m

[at140]

31. Agree completely..where can you get a nice condo under $120k

https://www.zillow.com/homes/140-Old-Town-Pkwy-UNIT-3301-Saint-Augustine,-FL-32084_rb/

[Blue_true]

30. The rest areas in Florida ARE nice. They have been for decades. Thanks tourists. nt

[Liberal In Texas]

14. I hope gas gets to $5 or over.

We need to convert to EVs, and PHEVs and soon. The only thing that will make that start to happen quicker is expensive gas.

[pecosbob]

15. Two of the three reasons for the difference have already been posted here

1. Local refinery production capacity
2. State taxes
3. Different gasoline blends that are required to meet more stringent air quality requirements

[DFW]

16. It was $6.36 a gallon here yesterday

A little lower than lately, but not much.

[at140]

17. Wow.. where are you??

[DFW]

21. Duesseldorf area

German Rheinland

€1.509 per liter X 3.7875 (to get a U.S. gallon) X 1.12 (to get US$ from the Euro amount).

[a la izquierda]

24. My Dutch and German friends laugh...

When I complain about gas prices, which are fairly high considering I live in West Virginia.

[DFW]

25. They probably just say, "if you think WE have it bad..."

"Just go to France, and see what it costs THERE!"

As if THAT were some kind of consolation!

[at140]

32. Holy Toledo...hope you make big bucks there! nt

[DFW]

34. I take public transportation a LOT! n/t

[leftyladyfrommo]

23. Washington has a gas tax. No state tax. nt

[cilla4progress]

26. Yes, I inquired about this recently here, too.

I'm in WA also - east side of the state. Not too far from Spokanistan. 😅

Thing is, it's been a recent steep increase. Just a few months ago it was under $3/gallon, which is ridiculous and doesn't reflect actual "cost".

So why the recent huge jump?

[at140]

33. The light rail in Seattle is nice and is being expanded

may be gas taxes are helping build it.