Gas prices in Arizona continue to rise

PHOENIX - Gas prices are jumping at a pace that has left many of us feeling a bit of sticker shock.
 
"I won't be saving as much or taking my wife out to dinner as often," said Valley resident Robert McCay as he was filling up.
 
The prices have jumped 52 cents over the past month and 13 cents just since the start of the year.
 
Les Robb who runs the Chevron at 44th Street and McDowell said he has no choice on when to raise prices.
 
"We operate on a margin," he said.  "We check the computer and get the prices from Chevron where we buy the gas and they have been sending us increases almost daily."
 
ASU Professor Tim James with the W.P. Carey School of Business tells ABC15 while increases in the short term may be a little extreme, the prices themselves are not so out of the ordinary.
 
"We usually see a spike when we get to the spring and summer months," he said.  "What is different this year is the economy is improving and people are out doing more and putting more demand on supply, so really the increases in gas are more of a good thing in terms of the economy."
  
The average price for gas statewide is $3.62 per gallon.

The average for the month last year was actually higher at $3.53 per gallon.
 
Experts say the increases will continue the closer we get to summer but the pace of those increases will likely slow down.