TOWSON, Md. — Gas in Maryland continues to inch closer to $5 a gallon.
According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of gas in Maryland reached a record high of about $4.85 on June 6.
At $5.29, gas at one Towson gas station has already passed the $5 mark.
As painful as it is, that gas is as high as it is, some drivers might be thankful they live in Maryland.
AAA reports there are eight states from Arizona to California with an average price of more than $5 a gallon.
In parts of Los Angeles some drivers are paying more than $8 for a gallon of regular gas.
It's forcing both consumers and business owners to make tough decisions about their driving habits and budgeting their money.
President Biden blames the high food and gas costs on Russia's continuing war in Ukraine.
The president urges congress to pass his clean energy proposal to help ease some of the financial burden on American families.
Biden's transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg appeared on ABC “This Week” on Sunday.
Buttigieg was challenged about what the president is doing to relieve the economic burden on families.
“Well, look, the president's made clear that inflation is his top economic priority, and he's laid out a very clear strategy for doing that. I’m sure additional ideas will be welcomed, especially when they're ideas that come in good faith. But right now, the president has a very clear plan,” Buttigieg said.
Host George Stephanopoulos also asked Buttigieg if the president‘s tapping of the strategic petroleum reserve earlier this year was a failure for not helping to bring down oil prices.
“The price of gasoline is not set by a dial in the Oval Office. And when an oil company is deciding hour-by-hour how much to charge you for a gallon of gas. But they're not calling the administration to ask what they should do. They're doing it based on their goal of maximizing their profits. It's been very striking right now to see these oil companies who have become almost ridiculously profitable,” Buttigieg said.
As people look towards the Biden administration for relief from high gas prices, political analysts are looking towards the mid-term elections in November.
Democrats could lose control of the house as historically, high gas prices reflect a loss of congressional seats by the ruling party following the mid-term elections.
