After all, you're not only paying more than $2 a gallon to fill up your own car, but more of your taxes are going to pay for fuel costs of state, county and city governments.

Gas prices in Utah hit a new high Wednesday at an average $2.12 a gallon in the Salt Lake area and it doesn't appear the costs will go down soon. For the 9,569-vehicle state fleet, that means coughing up a bundle of cash.

The extra tab for the most recent 12-month period: $944,793.

But that's not for lack of cutting. State officials have reduced the fleet by 69 vehicles, driven 5 million fewer miles and pumped 324,183 fewer gallons from July 2004 through March 2005 compared with the previous year.

"The only thing up is fuel costs, everything else is down," the state's fleet director, Steve Saltzgiver, said Wednesday. Government agencies pay less for fuel because they buy so much and can skip the 43 cents in taxes per gallon.

But it still stings.

In the first three months of this year, Salt Lake County has forked out about $40,000 more than it did the first three months of last year. Salt Lake City is paying an average of 35 cents more for an unleaded regular gallon this fiscal year.

"It's hitting everybody," Fleet Director Lamont Nelson said. "We're facing the same thing everyone is."

County fleet director Nick Morgan says the county is paying more for fuel even though it used 60,000 gallons less than last year during the same time period. Even so, he's hoping not to have to ask for more money in his budget.

County Mayor Peter Corroon's spokesman Jim Braden says the county can't get a better rate on gasoline, so it will just have to conserve as much as possible. "The only way to avoid paying more is to use less," Braden said.

Gas prices may seem troublesome at the pump, but they also affect the price of everything from apples to ziti.

"The thing about it is, it's just tough all around," says AAA spokeswoman Rolayne Fairclough.

"Not only do you have to pay more for gas, but everything that's in the stores. All the groceries have been trucked in. Fuel costs really affect all parts of the economy."

tburr@sltrib.com

Pain at the pump

l Fueling up Wednesday: $2.12 (highest recorded average price)

l Forking out more for fuel:

l State of Utah: $944,793 more for July 2004 through March 2005, compared to the year prior

l Salt Lake County: $40,000 extra the first three months of this year compared to same period last year

l Salt Lake City: Spent an average of $15,000 more for fuel so far this fiscal year

Sources: AAA daily fuel report; State, Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City fleet officials