(The Center Square) – Georgians are paying 20 cents more at the pump this week than last week, according to GasBuddy.
On average, a gallon of regular unleaded gas costs $3.73, up 19.7 cents from a week ago, according to the app, which updates gas prices in real time according to users’ input.
The Rome area experienced the largest increase at 35 cents. The average gas price in the northwest Georgia city is $3.85 a gallon.
In metro Atlanta, gas is $3.76 per gallon, a 23.8-cent increase from the week before.
Gov. Brian Kemp issued a 60-day moratorium on fuel prices after they soared to nearly $4 a gallon in March.
Gas prices soared in Georgia and across the country since the conflict between the U.S. and Iran began on Feb. 28. The average cost of a regular unleaded gallon of gas in March was $3.79, according to AAA.
Kemp extended the gas tax suspension for two weeks in May for the Memorial Day holiday.
Georgia’s fuel tax adds about 33 cents to gasoline and 37 cents to diesel fuel, according to the Georgia Department of Revenue. The money funds statewide transportation projects.
Georgia’s fuel tax collections in June were down $196.9 million, a 98.5% drop compared to the previous year, due to the fuel tax suspension, according to Kemp’s office.
The state’s fuel tax collections in May were $196.6 million lower than last year.
Georgia has the highest gas prices among its neighboring states, except for Florida, where the average cost is $3.91 per gallon, according to GasBuddy. Tennessee has the lowest average cost at $3.60 a gallon, followed by Alabama at $3.63, South Carolina at $3.64 and North Carolina at $3.67.
The national gas price average is $3.97, a 14.1-cent increase from last week, according to GasBuddy.