SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jerome E. Horton, Chairman of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), today announced state gasoline and diesel consumption figures for the first quarter of 2011 and for March. In California, gasoline consumption declined 2.7 percent in March and declined 0.1 percent in the first quarter. Diesel fuel consumption declined 6.9 percent in March and declined 5.3 percent in the first quarter.
“In California, the average price of a gallon of gas hit $4 in March,” Horton said. “In the face of high gas prices, both gasoline and diesel consumption numbers show some evidence of uneven economic growth while the state still moves slowly towards recovery.”
In March, gasoline consumption decreased 2.7 percent to 1.24 billion gallons of gasoline compared to 1.27 billion gallons of gasoline in March last year. In California, the average price of a gallon of gasoline rose 90 cents to $4.00 in March, a 29 percent increase compared to the average price of $3.10 per gallon of gasoline last year in March. Nationally, the average price of a gallon of gasoline was up 79 cents to $3.62 per gallon in March, a 28 percent increase over the average price of a gallon of gasoline of $2.82 in March last year.
Gasoline consumption in the first quarter declined 0.1 percent with a total of 3.57 billion gallons of gasoline compared to 3.58 billion gallons of gasoline in the first quarter last year. In California, the average price of gasoline per gallon rose 60 cents to $3.66 in the first quarter, a 20 percent increase over last year’s average price of $3.05 per gallon in the first quarter. Nationally, the average price of gasoline rose 58 cents to $3.34 in the first quarter, a 21 percent increase over last year’s average price of $2.76 per gallon of gasoline in the first quarter.
In March, diesel consumption totaled 218.7 million gallons, a decrease of 6.9 percent compared to the total of 234.9 million gallons of diesel in March last year. In California, the average price of a gallon of diesel fuel was up $1.13 to $4.19 per gallon in March, a 37 percent increase over the average price of a gallon of diesel of $3.06 last March. Nationally, the average price of a gallon of diesel was up 99 cents to $3.91 in March, a 34 percent increase over the average price of a gallon of diesel of $2.92 last March.
Diesel consumption in the first quarter decreased 5.3 percent to 586 million gallons compared to 619 million gallons in the first quarter last year. In California, the average price of diesel fuel in the first quarter rose 85 cents to $3.85, a 28 percent increase compared to $3.00 price per gallon of diesel last year in the first quarter. Nationally, the average price of diesel fuel in the first quarter was $3.63, a 27 percent increase over the last year’s first quarter average price of $2.85 per gallon of diesel.
In March, both the diesel and gas consumption numbers would have been higher were it not for the impacts of unusually large refunds related to audits. Gasoline and diesel fuel figures are net consumption that includes the State Board of Equalization’s audit assessments, refunds, amended and late tax returns and the State Controller’s Office refunds. The State Board of Equalization is able to monitor gallons through tax receipts paid by fuel distributors in California. Figures for April are scheduled to be available at the end of July.
To see all monthly, quarterly and annual reports, visit www.boe.ca.gov/sptaxprog/spftrpts.htm.
Taxable gasoline gallons: www.boe.ca.gov/sptaxprog/reports/MVF_10_Year_Report.pdf
Taxable diesel gallons: www.boe.ca.gov/sptaxprog/reports/Diesel_10_Year_Report.pdf
Elected in 2010, Chairman Jerome E. Horton is the Fourth District Member of the California State Board of Equalization, representing more than 8.5 million residents in Los Angeles County. He is also the Board of Equalization legislative committee chairman. He is the first to serve on the Board of Equalization with over 21 years of experience with the Board of Equalization. Horton previously served as an Assembly Member of the California State Assembly from 2000-2006.
The five-member California State Board of Equalization is a publicly elected tax board. The Board of Equalization collects more than $48 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes. For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.