Gas prices continue to increase ahead of Labor Day

A run of 35 increases in 37 days to the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County totaling 39.9 cents ended Wednesday with a decrease of one-tenth of a cent to $5.37.

California gas tax increase

Prices at the pump went up by 4 cents per gallon, increasing the excise tax rate from around 54 cents per gallon to 58 cents per gallon.

California lawmakers OK potential fines for high gas prices

California lawmakers on Monday approved the nation’s first penalty for price gouging at the pump, voting to give regulators the power to punish oil companies for profiting from the type of gas price spikes that plagued the nation’s most populous state last summer.