it's much cheaper around here because NJ is one of the major oil transport routes and refineries here.
the further gas supply gets delivered to a location, the more expensive it is. for your area, it's a damn shame West Coast is suffering from high gas cost because of Hurricane Katrina and Deepwater Horizon oil rig fire. or there might be other reason for high gas cost in California.... maybe it's part of its aggressive pollution control policy. either way... I'm glad I'm never ever gonna live in California.