Businesses, motorists feel the pain as California gas prices soar once again

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- With temperatures on the rise, so is the price of gasoline.

According to GasBuddy, the cost of regular unleaded in Fresno is nearly 50 cents higher than it was a month ago.

"I've been here working for several years, but this is the most I've seen a day," said ARCO station employee Danny Singh. "Increments of six cents going up every single day. It went thirty cents in one week."

And that has all of us feeling the pain at the pump.

"It kills me...it kills me bad," said Eugene Levingston of Fresno. "I wish it would go back. I would get the e85...its a little bit cheaper."

Americans across the board are paying more at the pump these days, but California gas prices are the highest in the country -- pushing past $4 for the first time in five years.

Gas station owners say the spike is hurting business because customers now don't have the extra money to buy items like chips or drinks when they fill up.

"The people are not spending money inside the store because they hardly have money to spend on the gas," said ARCO station owner David Bawa.

It's not just gas station owners feeling the squeeze.

Some Fresno gardeners say the higher gas prices have forced them to pass the extra costs onto homeowners.

"I have to charge a little bit more because the price of gas is too high," said Alfredo Villa.

Katherine Millard says she's started paying more for lawn service since the prices rose

"He did ask for more and I had been waiting thinking he is going to be asking for more because I think he was underpaid but with the gas prices going up I'm sure he needed more money," she said.

The price hike comes as California is set to increase gas taxes by another six cents per gallon on July 1.