Phoenix residents are feeling the effects of the highest gasoline prices in American history, as Tuesday marked the first day that the city’s average price for a gallon per gas was $5.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price per gallon of gas in Phoenix Tuesday was exactly $5, an 11-cent jump from Monday’s average of $4.89, and a 28-cent jump from last Tuesday’s average of $4.72. A month ago, the average price of a gallon of gas in the city was $4.56.
All of those prices are significantly higher than the average just a year ago, which was $3.14.
Statewide, Arizona once again Tuesday broke its record for the average price of a gallon of gas, clocking in at $4.83. That number was $4.75 Monday, also a state record.
Just before the most recent spike in prices at the pump, Biden canceled domestic oil lease sales in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico, renewing his commitment to making America dependent on foreign oil.
That move drew the ire of Republicans in Arizona.
“Biden just canceled massive oil and gas lease sales in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico amid historic gas prices. Just wait for him to blame Putin for all of this!” Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) said on Twitter last week.
Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08)
“As gas prices continue to hit all-time highs, President Biden has canceled oil and gas leases in Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. This is insanity!” Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ-08) said at the time.
Gas prices have been steadily rising since Biden took office. On the first day of his administration, he canceled federal contracts to build the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have helped America become energy-independent.
Biden also canceled the importation of oil from Russia amid that country’s invasion of Ukraine, accounting for some of the pain Americans are seeing at the pump.
He has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for American gas prices.
“Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has driven up gas prices and food prices all over the world,” Biden said in April. “So everything is going up. We saw it in today’s inflation data. Seventy percent of the increase in prices in March came from Putin’s price hike in gasoline.”
He has also blamed Republicans for his woes.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Gas Prices” by Chris Yarzab. CC BY 2.0.
