Fresno gas prices trending down but prices remain well above last year. What’s to blame?

The cost of fuel in Fresno took a slight downward turn this week, but prices remained well above last year. What remains a constant, however, is the debate over who is responsible for $6-a-gallon gasoline.

The California State Automobile Association reported the average price for the Fresno area was $6.03, compared to $6.33 a week ago. In the same time period in 2021, the cost for a gallon of unleaded regular was $4.37. The slightly lower price was due to California refiners fixing snags in their production systems, according to Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy, a Boston-based tech company that tracks real-time fuel prices at more than 140,000 gas stations in the United States and Canada.

De Haan noted the dip in California pump prices coincided with a rise in most of the United States, due to a move by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut production by 2 million barrels a day. The average increase was 14 cents a gallon, according to GasBuddy.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday jumped into the middle of the debate over rising fuel costs when he called for a special legislative session that could tax oil companies for “price gouging.” Supporters cite a report by Consumer Watchdog, which argues that oil companies are making significantly more money than before the big gasoline price jump.

However, the Federal Energy Information Administration maintains that “California gasoline prices are generally higher and more variable than prices in other states because relatively few supply sources offer California’s unique blend of gasoline outside of the state.”

Others note that Californians pay 23 cents for the state’s cap-and-trade program to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Fresnans paying $6.19 a gallon at a Shell station on the corner of Maroa and Shields avenues Thursday weren’t sure who was to blame for the pricey fuel, but agreed that it was too much.

Joe Sarrato, who runs the automotive 24 Hour Mobile Service, was convinced oil companies are to blame.

“That’s for sure. No doubt about it,” he said.

Should they pay a windfall profits tax? he was asked.

He said he thought so.

But Lawrence Williams, part of a team filling up a truck for the solar firm Freedom Forever, wasn’t so sure.

“I think it’s both (government and the oil companies),” he said.

His coworker, Roger Gonzalez, said rising prices show there isn’t enough of the scarce commodity to go around, and “anybody who has oil is not going to let it go” for a lower price.

Steven Ross, who was hedging his bets on fuel prices by driving a hybrid vehicle, blames both government and oil companies.

“Aren’t they all the same?” he asked.

As for raising the tax on oil companies, he asked:

“Who makes sure it goes to where it’s supposed to go?”