Gas prices leveling out

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline in San Diego County fell one-tenth of a cent Monday to $1.831, a day after an increase of nine-tenths of a cent.

The average price of $1.831 is 4.5 cents more than a week ago but 13.1 cents less than a month ago, $1.458 less than at this time last year and $2.799 less than the record high of $4.63 set on June 19, according to figures from the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.

An 11-day streak of increasing prices ended Saturday with a decrease of three-tenths of a cent.

The national average price for a gallon of self-serve unleaded regular gasoline decreased eight-tenths of a cent today to $1.619, 20.8 cents less than a month ago, $1.42 less than this time last year and $2.495 less than the record high of $4.114 set July 17.

California’s gasoline price is typically higher than the national average and among the highest in the nation because of taxes and a longtime state law mandating a ‘’boutique blend’’ of fuel to reduce polluting emissions, Marie Montgomery, an Automobile Club of Southern California public relations specialist, told City News Service.