Gasoline price in Connecticut among highest in US

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Auto club AAA says Connecticut motorists paid the fourth highest price per gallon of gas in 2012.

In the continental United States, Connecticut ranked second highest.

The Hartford Courant reports that gas prices in the state averaged $3.90, 30 cents higher than the national average of $3.60 per gallon. National prices topped the previous record set in 2011 when prices averaged $3.51 a gallon.

Hawaii posted the highest prices in 2012, at $4.31, followed by Alaska, $4.09 and California, $4.03. Connecticut tied with New York for fourth place.

Gene Guilford, president of the Connecticut Energy Marketers Association, says the state's gas taxes amount to about 47 cents a gallon. It includes an excise tax and a 7.5 percent gross receipts tax.

AAA blamed instability in the Middle East, refinery outages and hurricanes.