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State's Gas Tax To Push Pump Prices Higher

ATLANTA — The average price of gas in the metro Atlanta area has jumped to $3.79 a gallon, up 6 cents from the beginning of this week.

This weekend, be prepared to tack on even more. The state's gas tax is set to rise May 1.

During the past few weeks, gas prices have inched up a penny or more a day.

In Norcross on Georgia 400, Channel 2 Action News found a gallon of regular at $3.75 Friday. In DeKalb County on Memorial Drive, it was $3.85 and on North Druid Hills, $3.99. And in Midtown on Peachtree, $4.09 a gallon.

"It's taking away from other things that are more important like medical needs and rent and food," driver Tracy Flynn said.

Adding insult to injury, on Sunday, the state's gas tax is set to rise by about 3 cents because of a formula tied to fuel prices. In late May, there will be another hike. Gas stations switch to the summer blend, a cleaner burning fuel required by the EPA. It will also cost a few cents more.

"Between the taxes and the subsides and the variances by state, nobody really knows what a gallon of gas actually costs anyway," driver Dan Dantzinger said.

What we do know is that prices haven't peaked yet.

"Memorial Day and of course into the summer driving season you usually find a spike in gas prices. We're not at that point yet," AAA's Garrett Townsend said. "It may not be unrealistic to say that we would be at the $4 mark by the summer time," he added.