Holiday Gasoline Prices Lowest Since ’91

As the last big driving weekend of the summer looms, gasoline prices in California are lower than they have been for the last several Labor Day holidays. The statewide average price Monday, the most recent figure available, was $1.148 per gallon for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline, the California Energy Commission said. Last year at this time, motorists were paying $1.40 a gallon on average, and during the 1996 Labor Day weekend were shelling out $1.30 a gallon. The last time gasoline was this cheap for Labor Day travelers was in 1991, when they paid close to $1.10 per gallon. The commission said motorists are enjoying the price break because of low oil prices, high California refinery output and sluggish demand.