Continuing a steady decline that began mid-October, gasoline prices have hit a recent new low in Santa Clarita, averaging $2.263 for a gallon of regular unleaded at neighborhood stations.  However, this is still higher than last year’s early December average of 2.093, according to a survey conducted for The Signal by Randy Cressall, owner of the Valencia Chevron AutoSpa. Information from the Automobile Club of Southern California attributes the decline, in part, to increased oil production, forecasts for a mild East Coast winter and lower seasonal demand. According to the weekend gas watch, prices should continue dropping through the New Year holiday. A gallon of regular unleaded gasoline averaged $2.30 valley-wide Thursday, which is 9.7 cents lower than last week’s average of $2.397, and 34.2 cents lower than last month’s average of $2.642. This is the combined average of the above-mentioned neighborhood stations and ones situated along the highway, where prices tend to be a few cents higher. The highway stations averaged $2.337 per gallon of unleaded Thursday, down 9.4 cents from last week’s average of $2.433, and 25.2 cents lower than last month’s $2.685. Sliding in a little lower are the neighborhood stations, averaging $2.263 for a gallon of unleaded, down 9.7 cents from last week’s $2.360, and 33.6 cents lower than last month’s $2.599. “Although prices are beginning to bottom out in other parts of the country, our prices continue downward, due to lower seasonal demand,” Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp said in a statement. “For the rest of the month, California motorists can anticipate steadily falling pump prices.” This comes as welcome news to most California motorists, especially as the holiday season, with its ubiquitous travel, shifts into full gear.  However, the sight of lower prices still isn’t enough, some say. “I think they should go down even more,” said local resident, Mike De Anfresio. “We shouldn’t be paying more than a dollar-fifty a gallon.” “My car gets pretty good gas mileage,” he continued. “So I haven’t been affected as much as some people with SUVs traveling into the (San Fernando Valley) every day.” This is especially the case with prices in the San Fernando Valley even higher than they are in Santa Clarita. The average price of a gallon of unleaded self-serve in the Los Angeles area is $2.348 this week, only 7.4 cents less than customers paid last week and 13 cent above last year. Still, for some, it’s more about convenience than price. “I fill up about once a week,” said Santa Clarita resident Jim Mahan. “This station isn’t the cheapest, but it’s the most convenient.” Nevertheless, the decrease is always welcome, however small, he said. “It gives me a few extra bucks each week.”

This Story can be found in today’s Signal Newspaper