Gas Price Over $5 In NoVA, Youngkin Still Supports Gas Tax Holiday

VIRGINIA — As the national gas price average has surpassed $5, so has the price at the pump for Northern Virginians.

As of Tuesday, the average price per gallon in Northern Virginia is $5.04, up from $4.87 last week, $4.43 a week ago and $3.01 a month ago. That average is close to the $5.01 national average and above Virginia's average of $4.86, according to AAA. A few Northern Virginia localities have averages above $5.10.

AAA attributed the continued rise in prices to demand surpassing a tight global oil supply. The cost of oil has topped $120 per barrel, which AAA says is nearly twice the price of last August. In the U.S., demand for gas has been strong as summer travel season gets underway.

"Based on the demand we’re seeing, it seems high prices have not really deterred drivers," said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross in a statement. "If prices stay at or above $5, we may see people start to change their daily driving habits or lifestyle, but it hasn’t happened yet."

In Virginia, a gas tax holiday proposal to temporarily remove the state's gas tax didn't get included in the budget passed by the Virginia General Assembly. But Gov. Glenn Youngkin isn't done pushing his gas tax proposal, as he told reporters at a Boeing announcement in Arlington Monday.

Youngkin told reporters increasing gas prices represent the "single biggest topic people are concerned about," according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. A gas tax suspension would take off 26.2 cents per gallon for regular gas and 27 cents for diesel gas.

The governor pointed to the impacts of inflation and said the state can temporarily suspend its gas tax with Commonwealth Transportation Fund revenues, WTOP reported. The Richmond Times-Dispatch estimated three months of a gas tax suspension would cost $437 million in revenues.

According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, any amendments to the budget would have to be proposed by Youngkin by Thursday night.

The national gas price is the highest recorded by AAA since it began collecting data in 2000. AAA expects prices "will likely remain elevated for the near future" due to rising crude oil prices as well as decreased supply and increased demand.

The average price of a gallon of regular gas Tuesday across Northern Virginia and surrounding areas was:

• Alexandria City: $5.19
• Arlington County: $5.15
• Fairfax County: $5.14
• Fairfax City: $5.16
• Falls Church City: $5.06
• Fredericksburg City: $4.93
• Loudoun County: $4.98
• Manassas City: $4.99
• Prince William County: $5.00
• Stafford County: $5.00
• Spotsylvania County: $4.96