Gas usage decline reported in April

Californians used less gasoline in April than the same month in 2006 as average pump prices rose, a state agency said.

Motorists consumed 1.28 billion gallons of gas in April, down 0.8% from the year before, the state Board of Equalization said. The average pump price of $3.09 a gallon was up 38 cents from a year earlier.

April gas sales taxes rose an estimated $37 million, or 13%, to about $316 million from 2006.

Demand for gas in the state dropped to 15.83 billion gallons in 2006 from 15.94 billion in 2005, the first decline in 14 years, according to the board. Demand in the first four months of this year was down 0.7%.