Florida drivers could soon experience relief at the gas pump, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Following weeks of political posturing over rising gas prices, Floridians should soon see deep discounts at the gas pump after crude oil prices were slashed on “Black Friday.” In a Monday press release, AAA noted that crude price cuts were sparked by concerns about the latest COVID-19 variant and the implications it could have on future fuel demand.
“Unless oil prices rebound this week, Florida drivers should begin to see significant relief from the pain at the pump,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “The recent drop in futures prices could result in a discount of around 25 cents per gallon or more. But it’d be unusual for that discount to hit the pumps overnight. Gas prices normally rise like a rocket and fall like a feather. So it could take weeks before gas prices fully adjust.”
With the emergence of the new Omicron COVID-19 variant, AAA highlighted in their weekly report that global crude prices fell 13 percent in one day — ending the week 10 percent lower than the previous week. Additionally, the state’s price per barrel hit the lowest price seen since early September, posting a closing price of $68.15.
News of the temporary relief at the pump comes on the heels of Governor Ron DeSantis‘ latest pitch to lower gas prices statewide. Last week, the Governor announced a $1 billion in gas tax relief proposal for the upcoming legislative session, aimed at saving Florida families up to $200.
“What we’re going to be proposing in the next legislative session is over $1 billion in gas tax relief,” DeSantis announced last week. “There’s a whole bunch of things that go into the price of gas, different taxes, federal, state, local level. We’re taking over 25 cents from Florida and we’ll basically zero that out for as long as we can and do over a billion dollars.”
Over Thanksgiving weekend, Florida reported a $3.33 per gallon price tag — 2 cents less than this year’s high. Nationally, the price per gallon sits slightly higher at $3.39.
Motorists looking to travel around the state will find the highest price per gallon across parts of South Florida. West Palm Beach-Boca Raton ($3.49), Fort Lauderdale ($3.38), and Naples ($3.38) posted the highest gas prices in the state. The lowest prices were reported in Fort Walton Beach ($3.22), Panama City ($3.26), Tallahassee ($3.28), and The Villages ($3.28).
A full breakdown of gas prices across the state can be seen here.