The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County decreased Wednesday for the seventh straight day, but prices were still above $6 on average.
The average price has dropped by 1.2 cents to $6.312 Tuesday -- its largest daily decrease since April 13 -- and by 6.1 cents over the past seven days, according to figures from the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. The streak of decreases follows a run of 19 increases in 20 days totaling 35.5 cents.
While gas prices are dropping, they still remain well above last year's average. The average price is 28.6 cents more than one month ago and $2.081 higher than one year ago.
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The national average price dropped for the eighth consecutive day following an 18-day streak of increases in which prices rose 41.5 cents. It has dropped 6.1 cents over the past eight days, including 1.3 cents Tuesday.
The national average is still $1.886 higher than one year ago, though, and on Wednesday President Joe Biden called on Congress to suspend federal gasoline and diesel taxes for three months in order to ease gas prices. He urged states to do the same.
If the gas savings were fully passed along to consumers, people would save roughly 3.6% at the pump when prices are averaging about $5 a gallon nationwide.
Biden's push faces uphill odds in Congress, which must act in order to suspend the tax, and where many lawmakers, including some in his own party, have expressed reservations. Even many economists view the idea of a gas tax holiday with skepticism.
Biden's past efforts to cut gas prices — including the release of oil from the U.S. strategic reserve and greater ethanol blending this summer — have not delivered savings at the pump, a risk that carries over to the idea of a gas tax holiday.
