-
After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.
Gas prices?
- Thread starter MoodyBlues
- Start date
What's a health lottery?
This is what always gets me! We have refineries right here in Southern California--yet we consistently pay more for gas, much more, than any other state. WTF?!
People in this thread are paying ≈$2/gallon. We're pushing SIX DOLLARS. Why?
TaxesThis is what always gets me! We have refineries right here in Southern California--yet we consistently pay more for gas, much more, than any other state. WTF?!
People in this thread are paying ≈$2/gallon. We're pushing SIX DOLLARS. Why?
^^^that...
It's gotten so bad that our governor, Gavin Newsom, has called for the AG to investigate gas prices for fixing. I'm glad. It's really ridiculous.
But one sentence had me scratching my head.
"Citing gasoline prices that are as much as 30 cents a gallon higher than those in other states"
THIRTY CENTS a gallon higher? Just in this thread we've seen THREE+ DOLLARS a gallon higher! So I don't know if someone misplaced a decimal point, or what, but at least it's being investigated.
But one sentence had me scratching my head.
"Citing gasoline prices that are as much as 30 cents a gallon higher than those in other states"
THIRTY CENTS a gallon higher? Just in this thread we've seen THREE+ DOLLARS a gallon higher! So I don't know if someone misplaced a decimal point, or what, but at least it's being investigated.
No doubt.. your gas tax dollar at work. 
Yep, probably. Oh well.No doubt.. your gas tax dollar at work.
Honestly, I don't think it's so much supply and demand that drives your gas prices up. The price of your gas per gallon is likely right in place with the rest of the inflation your state has.
The cost of living is way above the cost of living in Kansas. Be it property or consumables, your prices are high in comparison. Your wages are also much higher than that of Kansas.
I always figured it balanced out or nobody could afford to live in California.
There's definitely something to that, olbriar.
When I hear people refer to teachers and nurses making low salaries, I'm stumped--because that's certainly not true here! I remember being incredulous a few months ago when I heard that, nationwide, public school teachers average < $35,000 per year. Here in Arcadia, their average pay is slightly under $100,000:
However...
...some of our teachers can't actually afford to live here.
Luckily, that doesn't affect their teaching!:
But there are other expenses, like utilities, that are less here than elsewhere. I've mentioned that my electric and gas bills still make me laugh--because they're nowhere NEAR what I was paying in Dallas, 13 years ago! I can only imagine what it's like now.
Also, as the major supplier of produce for the country, food costs are very reasonable here.
So, yeah, some things cost more--housing? no two ways about that!--but it all comes out in the wash. We're the 5th largest global economy, and some 40 million people call California home. We must be doing something right!
The median home value in Wichita is $129,700. Wichita home values have gone up 3.9% over the past year and Zillow predicts they will rise 2.5% within the next year. The median list price per square foot in Wichita is $116, which is lower than the Wichita Metro average of $120. The median price of homes currently listed in Wichita is $169,995. The median rent price in Wichita is $875, which is lower than the Wichita Metro median of $900.
The average Public School Teacher salary in Wichita, KS is $55,225 as of September 26, 2019, but the range typically falls between $48,214 and $63,760.
Median household income in Kansas is $56,422. Males in Kansas have an average income that is 1.41 times higher than the average income of females, which is $43,818.
I have a daughter that lives in California. She feels rich when she comes back to Kansas.
True our gas prices are cheaper than yours. So are most items. The income is in line with the cost of living here as well... or the same would be true, nobody could afford to live in Kansas.
The average Public School Teacher salary in Wichita, KS is $55,225 as of September 26, 2019, but the range typically falls between $48,214 and $63,760.
Median household income in Kansas is $56,422. Males in Kansas have an average income that is 1.41 times higher than the average income of females, which is $43,818.
I have a daughter that lives in California. She feels rich when she comes back to Kansas.
True our gas prices are cheaper than yours. So are most items. The income is in line with the cost of living here as well... or the same would be true, nobody could afford to live in Kansas.
It's hard for me to wrap my brain around those figures--even though I lived in a similar place for years. I owned my house in the North Dallas suburb of Carrollton for 18 years. When I decided to sell it, I was already fully back in Arcadia mode, having moved back here a year earlier. Of course, I KNEW there was a gigantic difference in prices, but I think I may have actually cried when I signed the sale paperwork.
I had expected 18 YEARS to result in higher prices, but I barely made any profit from its sale; houses just don't appreciate in value there like they do here. 
I don't know matching stats for much of what you posted, and I'm too lazy to look them up right now. The screenshots I have were taken for specific reasons; they just happened to come in handy here. Like this one, which shows a stark contrast to one of your stats, price per square foot:
That's my house on the right. Something VERY important to keep in mind is that if I sold my house--my small, 2-bedroom, mid-century house--a bulldozer would show up the next morning to raze the entire property. Asian buyers are not interested in its California-style charm; they want their gigantic, oversized, yard-swallowing, gaudy McMansions instead.
What part of California does your daughter live in? Do you ever come out to visit?
Our gas tax has come up in this thread as the culprit for our high gas prices in California, but that's not it!
KNBC (channel 4) just did a segment about Gov Newsom's investigation, and it included the amount per gallon that's tax: 41 cents. No way does that explain the 3+ dollars more per gallon we pay compared to other states. So something else is going on.
KNBC (channel 4) just did a segment about Gov Newsom's investigation, and it included the amount per gallon that's tax: 41 cents. No way does that explain the 3+ dollars more per gallon we pay compared to other states. So something else is going on.
She lives in Lake Forest.. wherever that's at. She lived in Chandler Az for a number of years and moved to California to be with her fiance. I've not been there to visit since her migration. My wife is flying out to see them the first of next month. I'm too married to my work to make the trip. Besides, they are putting together wedding plans and dress shopping. Not a guy thing. She plans to marry here with most of her friends and family still in this area. So I don't know when I'll get out there to see their digs.
Our gas tax has come up in this thread as the culprit for our high gas prices in California, but that's not it!
KNBC (channel 4) just did a segment about Gov Newsom's investigation, and it included the amount per gallon that's tax: 41 cents. No way does that explain the 3+ dollars more per gallon we pay compared to other states. So something else is going on.
Doing a quick search and a bit of calculating, it looks like the combined tax on gas in Kansas is around 21 cents a gallon with the current price of $2.25 a gallon. 9.125% is the current combined tax on gas here.
I've heard its name before, but had to look it up to place it--she's in 'the OC' (AKA, Orange County). Oh my goodness, it was sizzling there yesterday--98 in Anaheim, the hottest in the US--and again today. But the tourists still went to Disneyland! *shrug*
I can see why you wouldn't feel the need/desire to go wedding dress shopping.
I'm very interested in seeing what, if anything, this gas price investigation uncovers. Something's smelled fishy to me for a long time, but that was based on the fact we have refineries right here. Now it sounds like something else. But fishy. Definitely fishy.
I agree, it will be interesting to see how it unfolds. The six buckazoids a gallon seems in keeping with your cost of living but someone is making some huge profits which isn't right.
I've been a part of the housing industry for over half a century. Unless the land prices in your area are way expensive, there is no way the homes you posted could cost that much to build. I realize that labor has to be more expensive there or the construction workers would have to live out of state. But building materials just can't be three to four times the cost of materials in Kansas. I assure you that we have no forests in Kansas.
I only cite the housing industry because I have some footing there. I think everything is way inflated in California. Wages are in place to support it. Perhaps it started with the desire to live in your climate. Beach to mountains and all of that. It's been the fast lane or the place for years. Everyone withstood the price to exist there and the state saw a constant growth likely greater than any other state. Inflation was inevitable. It's been in a growing spiral for years. I think deep pockets are being filled by the big guys... everyone else is making out just like all other states. Maybe the gas producers got a bit greedy and drew attention. They might have to lower their prices and only enjoy normal profits. I'm glad it's being scrutinized.
Kansas was once a big coal producer. It was also the center of the airplane industry at one time. Those alone supported financial growth for the state. But they came and went. And each time something major like that fails or migrates, the economy slumps. It has kept the inflation rate low in Kansas. It hurt at the time, but in the long run it was a good thing. There is no calling card for my state such as climate or scenery. It's not known to be a state of opportunity. That also keeps our prices low. Our wages are low as well. It's all works out.
I've been a part of the housing industry for over half a century. Unless the land prices in your area are way expensive, there is no way the homes you posted could cost that much to build. I realize that labor has to be more expensive there or the construction workers would have to live out of state.
But building materials just can't be three to four times the cost of materials in Kansas. I assure you that we have no forests in Kansas. I only cite the housing industry because I have some footing there. I think everything is way inflated in California. Wages are in place to support it. Perhaps it started with the desire to live in your climate. Beach to mountains and all of that. It's been the fast lane or the place for years. Everyone withstood the price to exist there and the state saw a constant growth likely greater than any other state. Inflation was inevitable. It's been in a growing spiral for years. I think deep pockets are being filled by the big guys... everyone else is making out just like all other states. Maybe the gas producers got a bit greedy and drew attention. They might have to lower their prices and only enjoy normal profits. I'm glad it's being scrutinized.
Kansas was once a big coal producer. It was also the center of the airplane industry at one time. Those alone supported financial growth for the state. But they came and went. And each time something major like that fails or migrates, the economy slumps. It has kept the inflation rate low in Kansas. It hurt at the time, but in the long run it was a good thing. There is no calling card for my state such as climate or scenery. It's not known to be a state of opportunity. That also keeps our prices low. Our wages are low as well. It's all works out.
Good post, @olbriar.
Every year when my homeowner's policy renews, I check in with my Allstate agent--because I want to be SURE that my coverage is sufficient. And he always reassures me that it is. Why do I question it? Because it only pays $300-something thousand to rebuild the house, as in from the ground up. He explains [again] that it -is- correct, and the amount is calculated using current cost of materials, labor, permits, etc., in my area. So you're absolutely right about building costs. They're -not- behind the outrageous housing prices--it's all location, location, location.
If you're not sick of statistics... Today while I was watching the local morning news, Mayor Eric Garcetti...it was like a PSA or something, not an ad, he said that Los Angeles is the 3rd largest economy of any city in the world, and #1 for worldwide investment. I believe it! Although Arcadia is a separate city, we certainly benefit from all that.
I think I've already tossed it, but if not I'll snap a pic tomorrow of a flyer from a local Realtor. There's an empty lot that's ≈1,000 square feet smaller than my property, a few miles southeast of me, and it's for sale for just under $900,000. Keep in mind that Asians buy perfectly good houses here, sight unseen [because they don't care about the house, just the ZIP code], for $2M+ and then raze the whole property to put up a McMansion.
Every year when my homeowner's policy renews, I check in with my Allstate agent--because I want to be SURE that my coverage is sufficient. And he always reassures me that it is. Why do I question it? Because it only pays $300-something thousand to rebuild the house, as in from the ground up. He explains [again
] that it -is- correct, and the amount is calculated using current cost of materials, labor, permits, etc., in my area. So you're absolutely right about building costs. They're -not- behind the outrageous housing prices--it's all location, location, location.If you're not sick of statistics... Today while I was watching the local morning news, Mayor Eric Garcetti...it was like a PSA or something, not an ad, he said that Los Angeles is the 3rd largest economy of any city in the world, and #1 for worldwide investment. I believe it! Although Arcadia is a separate city, we certainly benefit from all that.
Yep, got my first "you need to swipe your card again to continue filling" message the other day.
Gas was $2.87 when I drove by this morning.
Gas was $0.34/gallon in Los Angeles yesterday!!
No, really. The local news was at a gas station [somewhere in the Valley, I think] that was plastered with promotional stuff for the revamped "Wonder Years" TV show--which is set in 1968.
No doubt the lines were very long!
No, really. The local news was at a gas station [somewhere in the Valley, I think] that was plastered with promotional stuff for the revamped "Wonder Years" TV show--which is set in 1968.
No doubt the lines were very long!
Seriously? Do you have a particularly large tank, or is the card limit low on your side of the Pond?
Here in the UK the pumps normally authorise up to £99, which even at our much higher prices that will cover 70-75l, which is about 20 US gallons, so at your prices would be more like 30 gallons (if I've done all of my currency and volume conversions correctly). Few if any vehicles here have tanks > 100l, so I'm guessing that your card limit must be lower?
P.S. It's really striking how much smaller the US gallon is than the historical UK unit of the same name. That probably leads Brits older than 50 to overestimate how cheap your fuel is (those under 50 probably don't know what a gallon is anyway).
P.P.S. "swipe your card"? As Mr Scott said in Star Trek IV (when faced with a keyboard), "how quaint" - I literally don't remember the last time I swiped a magnetic strip (though logically it was probably the last time I was in the States).
My limit as $75 and I have a 27 gallon tank, and I was filling a 5 gallon portable tank for my yard equipment. I used to be able to do both for under $40.