Reported by Star-Bulletin staff & wire
Average gas prices fall with Honolulu at top
CAMARILLO, Calif. » Gas prices have fallen nearly 5 cents in the last three weeks with an increase in supply, but soaring crude oil prices could cause rates to rise again soon, an industry analyst said yesterday.The weighted national average for all three grades of gasoline fell about 4.9 cents between July 23 and Friday to $1.90 per gallon, said Trilby Lundberg, who publishes the semimonthly Lundberg Survey.
That represents a drop of 20 cents per gallon since May 21, when the average price peaked at slightly more than $2.10 a gallon.
The survey polls nearly 8,000 gas stations across the nation.
The lowest average price for a gallon of self-serve regular was $1.72, in Tulsa, Okla. The highest average price for self-serve regular was in Honolulu, where consumers are paying $2.26 per gallon.
Philippines due to beat its tax collection goal
MANILA » The Philippines probably beat its tax revenue goal for July of 38 billion pesos ($683 million) as the Bureau of Internal Revenue pursues tax evaders, Commissioner Guillermo Parayno said."As of today we are already ahead of our target," Parayno said in a telephone interview in Manila. The agency has until today to collect taxes due last month and might release revenue figures Friday, he said.
July would be the second month that the bureau, which collects 70 percent of state income, beat its collection goal this year, after exceeding its target in March.
Rising tax receipts could help the government reduce its budget deficit to 198 billion pesos this year from a record 211 billion pesos in 2002.
