Border gas gap: California pumps far pricier than across the river
A CA–AZ border visit shows a stark price split: Needles, CA gas stations were about $6.79 per gallon while a nearby Arco in Arizona sold for roughly $4.15, a $2.64 gap just 1.8 miles apart. California’s higher costs come from a 61-cent-per-gallon state gas tax plus emissions fees and climate programs, versus Arizona’s 18-cent tax. The national average hovers around $3.90, and locals say Californians cross the river to refuel; critics say California energy policies are driving the higher prices even as prices ease nationwide.