Gas Prices & Chicago Taxes

(Valparaiso, IN)- It's been interesting to note gas prices over the past two weeks, as they've been dropping. One thing that remains is that there is a huge difference between what you pay in Chicago and anywhere else. Here's what I've observed, and what I've paid for regular unleaded in the past two weeks:

9/18, Chicago: $4.60/gallon

9/21, Fishers, IN: $3.69/gal

9/22, Rock Island, IL: $3.74/gal

9/23, Prairie du Chien, WI: $3.56/gal

9/24, Viborg, SD: $3.29/gal

9/25, Western Nebraska: $3.14/gal

9/26, St. Louis, MO: $3.39/gal

9/27, Fishers, IN: $3.53/gal

10/1, Fishers, IN: $3.39/gal

10/4, Fishers, IN: $3.24/gal

10/5, Lebanon, IN: $3.18/gal

10/6, Joliet, IL: $3.79/gal

10/7, Blue Island, IL: $3.78/gal

10/7, Valparaiso, IN: $3.39/gal

Chicago and the adjacent small towns & cities are consistently 60 cents a gallon higher. I make it a point NEVER to buy gas in the Chicago area. Fill up by Merrillville at the latest when going up I-65, as a rule.

Cost of living is certainly one difference to explain it. I imagine taxes are another. What I can't explain is why Chicagoans are good with it.

Update: Three more prices to report from last night:

10/8, Joliet, IL: $3.79

10/8, Gary, IN: $3.36

10/8, Lebanon, IN: $3.07

Really- Why do Chicagoland residents accept being gouged so? It isn't merely on gas prices, but on all prices. I bought in Gary on the drive back. I ran the tank down pretty low to get the heck out of Illinois. At 43 cents/gal difference, on a 12-gallon fill-up, I saved $5.16. Imagine how many times per day this decision is made, and how the Illinois economy suffers, and the Indiana economy benefits accordingly.