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Price-Gouging Post-Sept. 11

Gasoline price-gouging is an ugly phenomenon that pops up quickly as opportunists see a chance to make a quick buck. State attorneys general were quick to jump on it this time around (story).

Mike of Newbern TN writes (9/12/01):
All the gas stati0ns in the Dyersburg area have raised their gas prices from $1.40 a gallon to $4.00 a gallon in a matter of four hours. This is crazy and called price gouging. I farm and can not afford to pay that kind of money to keep my trucks on the road. I am poor and scratch to get by. This kind of bull needs to be stopped now!

My trucks hauling grain to the grainery burn around 200 gallons a day. 200 gallons times $1.40 is $280.00 dollars a day. 200 gallons times $4.00 is $800.00 dollars a day. Corn prices are $1.98 a bushel. I can not afford this. I know other farmers in this area that want it stopped. It is stupid! We as farmers strughle enough as it is, why capitalize on a bad situation when we should all be working together?

John of Owensville MO (9/12/01):
It is not a personal problem, but it is a problem presented to our community of Owensville. It seems like when there is a price increase with gasoline, Mr. Voss of Voss Express is the first to do so, and sometimes it is increased as much as $.10 to $.15 each time. Most of the times other gas stations in the community respond with the same increase and sometimes they don't increase forcing Voss to come back down to reasonable levels.

Yesterday, after the terrorist attack, Mr Voss immediately increased approximately $.25, the others followed. Don't we have ample amounts of reserves?

It is hurting our community's economy and jeopardizing further spending. We have a lot of poverty and this doesn't assist to make it better. I can appreciate that any business makes a significant profit, but don't gouge the hard working consumer.

Susan of Sun Prairie WI (9/12/01):
Following the attack on America 9/11/01, Marathon Gas Station is price gouging. According to the news, Attorneys General are stating that this will not go unpunished. We were told to contact you if we saw prices above $1.89 per gallon today. This particular station was charging $1.99 (on 9/11 it was $1.68). Other stations in Sun Prairie were also charging that amount, as well as $2.01.

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