According to AAA, the price of a gallon of gas in the city of Jamestown is 59 cents higher than the national average, which is $2.44. But at $3.03 a gallon, the city “held steady again this week.”

Yet many residents have mixed responses about the difference. And with Labor Day right around the corner, many are planning to spend little on travel.

Peter Mordine, a Jamestown resident, plans “to stay in town and work on Labor Day.” Regarding the difference, he said he has “been resigned to that for a long time because it’s New York state. I know that they always have high taxes added on to the gas.”

“Pennsylvania used to be cheaper. You could go across the border, but now it’s just the same price because of added taxes,” Mordine said. “I’m not happy about it. It’s been pretty stable for a long time. It seems to have just only in the last year or so creeped back up again, to another 40 cents from what it was.”

In addition, he said that the need for necessary travel also makes a major difference.

“A couple of years ago I was living in Jamestown. But I had a job in Erie (Pennsylvania). I had to drive every day, so I was affected a lot more by gas prices. Now, not as much.”

Other residents also shared surprise at the discrepancy of local gas prices. Jeremy McIntyre plans to stay at home as well, and said the difference is “kind of ridiculous.”

“I don’t understand why were so much higher,” he continued. He also questioned whether it was just state taxes or gas companies distributing charges.

Natashia Martinez, also of Jamestown, said she plans to travel over the Labor Day holiday.

“I’m not to happy about it,” she said. “That ends up being a lot.”

However, she also offered a few incentives for travelers. “I actually try to go out to the reservation as much as I can to get gas, especially going out toward the Buffalo and Irving area. I usually stop in Irving and get gas. But I go to do what I got to do being an hour away from there.”

Martinez also said the vehicle makes the difference for fuel consumption.

However, AAA said the stagnant price drops account for a decrease in a handful of northeast states. As such, motorists have seen a slow and steady decrease in gas prices “during the last few weeks.

“Barring any uncommon influences,” AAA said “the national average is expected to keep moving lower, especially with the switchover to cheaper winter-blend gasoline in September.”