Written by Bobbie Wylie
Just as the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were taking a turn for the better, San Diego is experiencing extreme inflation, and many residents are struggling to afford gas and groceries.
In Chula Vista, gas prices have reached nearly $6/gal. According to AAA, the national average for gas prices is $4.07/gal, with the average price in California reaching $5.34/gal. Many residents from around the South Bay are traveling to San Ysidro just to find gas that is slightly cheaper at $5.19/gal. San Diego set its 18th record high in the last 20 days on Monday, when the price of regular gas rose 5.6 cents, making the average price in San Diego County $5.38/gal.
South Bay businesses and residents were just beginning to recover economically from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, but now they are concerned about even affording groceries or gas to get to work. Ramon Pineda, a Tijuana resident who travels to San Diego for work said that he only put 4 gallons of gas into his SUV because it is “too expensive.” He says that it is hard for many people to pay so much for gas, and that he and his family work hard but high prices for gas and groceries are becoming extremely costly.
In an interview with KUSI, Jimmy Gerardo, a man who traveled from Texas to San Diego to visit his family, says that he has spent over one thousand dollars on gas alone during his vacation. Gerardo said that gas was closer to $3/gal when he left Texas, so seeing prices in California took him by surprise. Some parts of Los Angeles are reporting gas prices at nearly $7/gal.
In many low income areas of the county, families were already struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now rapidly increasing inflation is setting them back even further.
Photo Cred: Fox 5 San Diego
