Gas prices in California are going up and affecting people living on the Central Coast

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV)- Every time they put fuel in their car, Central Coast residents said they are paying more.

"It's a huge change, it's $4.49, that's a huge change because gas is close to $5, and before it was $3 and something." said Diane Chatwin who lives in September.

Chatwin, who lives in Salinas, said he fills up his car at the Arco gas station on Work Street because gas is not that expensive.

But now she said it's going up, she drives a Prius and she said that for $30 she would fill up the tank, before gas prices started going up, and now, it costs him $40 to fill it up.

AAA said gas is up 25 cents compared to a month ago, putting the average cost per gallon in California almost $5.

Economic experts said that although gasoline prices are rising, inflation is falling slightly.

"The rate at which prices are rising has slowed, at one point prices were rising 9% annually and I think we are now at 4%, if not a little lower," said San Jose State University Economics Professor Justin Rietz.

Rietz said prices are always rising, but the pace is controlled by the federal reserve's monetary policy.

"What has been reduced is the pace of price variation," said Rietz. "I think people expect prices to go down, well, then we would actually be having deflation and that brings with it a whole other set of economic problems that we have to deal with."

But for people like Chatwin, who although inflation has gone down a little, still feels sorry for those who fight daily for their daily bread.

"There are many people who don't have extra money, that affects them." Chatwin said.

And because of the rise in gas prices, Gas Buddy said prices in California can still rise a little more because the state is transitioning to the cleaner summer, which means prices will rise.