The average price of a gallon of gas has hit $6 this morning in San Diego County. However, it's not just the war in Iran that's causing us to pay more.
It's also high taxes and environmental regulations in the state that contribute to sticker shock at the pump.
California is known as an energy island, with the state relying primarily on local refining capacity. We have four oil refineries that make roughly 90 percent of the gas sold here. Those refineries are also making bigger profits, roughly $1.50 per gallon for turning oil into gasoline.
The last time prices topped $6 a gallon was September 2023, and that followed a record high price of $6.40 a gallon in 2022.