Family budgets across the country are getting crushed by high gas prices and the pain at the pump hit a new record Thursday.
"The national average price of gas in the U.S. surpassed $5 per gallon today for the first time ever, according to GasBuddy, the leading fuel savings platform saving North American drivers the most money on fuel," Gas Buddy reports.
Since March, gas prices have hit five new record highs.
“It’s been one kink after another this year, and worst of all, demand doesn’t seem to be responding to the surge in gas prices, meaning there is a high probability that prices could go even higher in the weeks ahead,” top GasBuddy Petroleum Analyst Patrick De Haan said. “The situation could become even worse should there be any unexpected issues at the nation’s refineries or a major hurricane that impacts oil production or refineries this summer.”
But while runaway prices are hammering Americans trying to get to work, they're also blowing out public safety budgets.
In Michigan, one sheriff's department has already spent their gas budget for the year. It's only June.
PAIN AT THE PUMP: A Michigan county sheriff's office is aiming to resolve non-emergency calls by phone after blowing through its fuel budget due to high gas prices. @perezreports has the details. https://t.co/kWY5S6eOU4 pic.twitter.com/qQQAGSj9Dq
— Good Morning America (@GMA) June 9, 2022
High gas prices were already a serious economic and national security problem. Now, they're also a public safety concern as crime rages in Democratic run cities across the country.