PAPosse Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_cheap_gas MERRILL, Wis. - A service station that offered discounted gas to senior citizens and people supporting youth sports has been ordered by the state to raise its prices. Center City BP owner Raj Bhandari has been offering senior citizens a 2 cent per gallon price break and discount cards that let sports boosters pay 3 cents less per gallon. But the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says those deals violate Wisconsin's Unfair Sales Act, which requires stations to sell gas for about 9.2 percent more than the wholesale price. Bhandari said he received a letter from the state auditor last month saying the state would sue him if he did not raise his prices. The state could penalize him for each discounted gallon he sold, with the fine determined by a judge. Bhandari, who bought the station a year ago, said he worries customers will think he stopped the discounts because he wants to make more money. About 10 percent of his customers had used the discount cards. Dale Van Camp said he bought a $50 card to support the local youth hockey program. It would have saved him about $100 per year on gas, he said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REBELRACER Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 isnt walmart doing the same thing.............if you use your walmart card to purchase gas you pay $0.03 less a gallon than if you dont use the card..............why does walmart get special rules............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 This is apparently a Wisconsin state deal, but it amounts to state-mandated price fixing. The original intent may have been to keep stations from charging too much (though supply and demand will take care of that), but that isn't the way it works. There is a similar law, the one requiring new cars (but not trucks) to carry a factory price sticker (the "Monroney label") while also mandating that no one can force the dealer to sell at that price; they are free to sell at any price above or below "sticker." That 9.2 percent above wholesale is pretty low profit. Nearly any other retail business would balk at selling that low except grocery stores and car dealers, who generally make a lot less. Normal retail markup is more like 50 percent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrungot Posted May 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 The price of gas is a supply and demand issue.... there are many people that focus on the decrease demand to lower the price of gas.. there is another way to lower the price of gas.. that big oil.. can help with... but won't because it will take $$ out of their pocket... Just like decreased demand will lower the price of gas.. So will increasing supply.. if the 2 biggest oil companies.. build 2 new refinerys.. it would lower the price of gas too.. But wait thats too easy!!! Big oil doesn't want to do it.. because it will lower the price of gas.. but raise the price of oil.. hence.. lowering their profit margins... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatKam10 Posted May 14, 2007 Report Share Posted May 14, 2007 all i know is that $6 a gallon for vp 110 is killing my wallet. that is an average of $60 a week for race fuel that i only use on 1 night. which averages out to being $240 a month, which i just wish gas prices would go back down to where you can get race fuel for $2.50 a gallon hahhahaha you know the one thing i dont get is how people say they are going to boycott gas stations for one day. how many people fill up on the day before to make sure they have gas and how many people fill up the day after? think about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kn1ghtblade Posted May 15, 2007 Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 Like I said its all BS, the big oil companies just get together and see how many billions of dollars they feel like makeing this month... Cost didnt go up but the sale price did, come on.... Sure supply might be low, but how the hell can you beleive that? I dont see any gas stations in this country out of gas like it was in the 70's do you? Give me a freaking break its all about the $$$ and until enough people stand up against it nothing will change we just keep taking it up the shorts... Goverment don't care either becuase their pockets are getting lined with the same money, plus when do you think the last time old GW had to pay for a gallon of gas? I bet it was .90 a gallon back then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted May 15, 2007 Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 Honda has vowed to introduce a fuel cell car in 2008.When theres one there will be more.It might not be the backwards Big 3 but in the world market fuel oil will eventually become obsolete.Here in the US we will have the largest supply of obsolete fuel in the world because of hording it.Where are the little VW diesel Rabbits thar got 50 mpg in the 80s? I want one of those 80 mpg cars they have in France now. As far as the toll roads,thats the biggest theft by government I know of.Like I69,its a makiladors highway from Mexico to Michigan to supply products that used to be made by Americans to assembly plants up north. .Tax free due to Clintons Free Trade Act.The Texas side of I69 already is sold to Spain.They will get it after the taxpayer pays to finish it.Hence the Public domain right of way laws used to take as much as 1 1/2 mile wide tracks of land for I69.After all if you own the highway you need stores,motels,restaurants and fueling stations to supply it too. The country IS run by crooks now,totaly and completely and the only way I see to ever get any way of control back in to demand term limits on EVERY SENATOR AND HOUSE MEMBER in both the Federal and State governments.Maybe then we can bust up the monolopy of sin and crime that is beyond reproach that is now running our life. As for the oil companies the reason they scalp us is simply BECAUSE THEY CAN.You remember what happened to Nixon when he faced them down.In May of 1972 he saw price gouging by the iol industry and FROZE the price of gas and oil.A year later his carear is over.Watergate was really OILGATE. The government does not serve us,we serve them.It may be too late to fix it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted May 15, 2007 Report Share Posted May 15, 2007 career politicans,reminds me of the movie with eddie murphy, "the distingished gentleman".That movie is about as real as it gets on how the system works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie49 Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 I love that we live in a country that people can get on their 500-1500 computer using their 40.00 a month internet service to to sit in their air conditioned home, staring out the window at their 5000-50,000 dollar racer car and complain that they are the little guy and that they are so poor. Ask the poor dumb bastard that was born Iraqi or Sudanese if you have it that bad. Every person in America has a standard of living that Julius Caesar could not even imagine. There, that's a VENT. Honda has vowed to introduce a fuel cell car in 2008.When theres one there will be more.It might not be the backwards Big 3 but in the world market fuel oil will eventually become obsolete.Here in the US we will have the largest supply of obsolete fuel in the world because of hording it.Where are the little VW diesel Rabbits thar got 50 mpg in the 80s? I want one of those 80 mpg cars they have in France now. As far as the toll roads,thats the biggest theft by government I know of.Like I69,its a makiladors highway from Mexico to Michigan to supply products that used to be made by Americans to assembly plants up north. .Tax free due to Clintons Free Trade Act.The Texas side of I69 already is sold to Spain.They will get it after the taxpayer pays to finish it.Hence the Public domain right of way laws used to take as much as 1 1/2 mile wide tracks of land for I69.After all if you own the highway you need stores,motels,restaurants and fueling stations to supply it too. The country IS run by crooks now,totaly and completely and the only way I see to ever get any way of control back in to demand term limits on EVERY SENATOR AND HOUSE MEMBER in both the Federal and State governments.Maybe then we can bust up the monolopy of sin and crime that is beyond reproach that is now running our life. As for the oil companies the reason they scalp us is simply BECAUSE THEY CAN.You remember what happened to Nixon when he faced them down.In May of 1972 he saw price gouging by the iol industry and FROZE the price of gas and oil.A year later his carear is over.Watergate was really OILGATE. The government does not serve us,we serve them.It may be too late to fix it now. Thumper you really need to get a better understanding of an issue before you start talking about taxpayers buying roads for Spain. You are not even close. The price of gas is a supply and demand issue.... there are many people that focus on the decrease demand to lower the price of gas.. there is another way to lower the price of gas.. that big oil.. can help with... but won't because it will take $$ out of their pocket... Just like decreased demand will lower the price of gas.. So will increasing supply.. if the 2 biggest oil companies.. build 2 new refinerys.. it would lower the price of gas too.. But wait thats too easy!!! Big oil doesn't want to do it.. because it will lower the price of gas.. but raise the price of oil.. hence.. lowering their profit margins... abrungot, Its not the oil companies that are stopping refineries from getting built. they want them. As far as them doing something that will take money out of their pocket, why should they. None of us are. Your transportation costs are not the oil company's responsibility. And as a shareholder in an oil company, I'm going to be pissed if they start giving away the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kn1ghtblade Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 I dont see refineries being the problem, sure they say it is but come on... Every gas station still has plenty of gas, unlike in the late 70's were they ran out..... The oil companies run this country, they control supply and set their own pricing... They need to break this up like they did to standard oil way back in the 20's or this country will reach a critical mass then everything will hit the fan..... It sucks, its costing me an extra 80$ a week just to goto work now, and my checks sure as hell arent getting 80$ a week larger, and I am sure there is others with the same problem if not worse becuase I drive an econimical car.... If I could right now I would buy a damn horse since I got plenty of free hay at the house and by work, just the 3hour ride back and forth might be a but taxing on my body... LoL LoL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 be glad you dont live in San Mateo,California, a gallon of regular unleaded was $4.03 this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie49 Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 Blade, Refineries are a huge problem. That is where the bottleneck in the supply and demand chain is. Its not just because of too few refineries either. It is also, and probably more, caused by the designer fuels everyone is requiring. If there was one recipe that could be sold everywhere, the refinery production would jump tremendously. I'm not saying that the oil companies are innocent, I'm saying that everyone is getting mad at the wrong issue and then attacking from the wrong direction. Its like saying I'm mad at you so I'm going to yell at your wife. One thing and one thing only will drive prices back down. Less consumption. Gas is like food. You need it so you're gonna pay what it costs to get it. When you can't afford what you want you get cheaper and you find ways to stretch what you have. When everyone starts using trucks for truck work and starts using smaller cars, car pools, and mass transit, then the hit your pocketbook takes from gas will be less. Hell, I've given up my F250 and drive an Xterra now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 49 said the key word ....SHAREHOLDER ... ... MORE MONEY I HAVE TO HAVE MORE MONEY .SO IF YOU CAN STAB THE LITTLE POEPLE IN THE BACK AND GET AWAY WITH IT ,,WHY NOT ..SOMEONE HAS TO WIN AND SOME HAVE TO LOOSE ..GB DO YOU HAVE A 5000 DALLOR CAR ...NAH I DIDNT THINK SO ..I SAW WHAT YOU HAVE .IT AINT MUCH ..EVEN THAT TRUCK YOU HAVE ..POOR PEOPLE OVER IN OTHER COUNTRYS ..WHATS THAT GOT TO DO WITH SHAREHOLDERS ..WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH OUR GAS BEING SO HIGH ..WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH BEING TAKEN BY OUR OWN OIL COMPANYS ..AND INSURANCE .THIS IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING ON THE ANSWER I GET .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie49 Posted May 16, 2007 Report Share Posted May 16, 2007 49 said the key word ....SHAREHOLDER ... ... MORE MONEY I HAVE TO HAVE MORE MONEY .SO IF YOU CAN STAB THE LITTLE POEPLE IN THE BACK AND GET AWAY WITH IT ,,WHY NOT ..SOMEONE HAS TO WIN AND SOME HAVE TO LOOSE ..GB DO YOU HAVE A 5000 DALLOR CAR ...NAH I DIDNT THINK SO ..I SAW WHAT YOU HAVE .IT AINT MUCH ..EVEN THAT TRUCK YOU HAVE ..POOR PEOPLE OVER IN OTHER COUNTRYS ..WHATS THAT GOT TO DO WITH SHAREHOLDERS ..WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH OUR GAS BEING SO HIGH ..WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH BEING TAKEN BY OUR OWN OIL COMPANYS ..AND INSURANCE .THIS IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING ON THE ANSWER I GET .. oldtimer: In order- MORE MONEY MORE MONEY- Hell yes I want more money, unless Mother Teresa signed up on this board recently we all want more money, 3/4 of the discussions on this board relat to more money, cars, rules, admissions, purses, fees, tracks, gas prices, etc. STAB THE LITTLE PEOPLE IN THE BACK- First, who are the little people, you? me? everyone that has less money than Bill Gates? Everyone that has less money than me? Everyone that has less money than you? Midgets? There are no little people. Second, how is anyone getting stabbed in the back? Is it stabbing you in the back because we live in a capitalist country to have the capitalist make money. If all these people that are making this money were to stop making money this economy would come to a screaming halt. Then we'd all be in the soup line. There's no one on this board that's truly poor. We're just less well off than someone else and because of it we don't want them to have as much. POOR PEOPLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES- Your gas isn't that high that's what they have to do with it. Everyone is sitting around complaining about the price of gas. Gas isn't high, its higher than it was. We live in a country that has a higher standard of living than most of the world can imagine. No matter how much we make, how low the price, how low the tax, we complain. We are spoiled In study after study, among people of all income brackets, the average person feels that they would be financially secure if they made about 40% more income. In other words, none of us are content with what we have. TAKEN BY OUR OWN OIL COMPANIES- Our own oil companies Are Us. We can't take ourselves. If you took 5 dollars a week you would be able to invest 260.00/ year. Invest 260.00 a year in oil and leave it there and see what kind of return you get. Compound interest is a wonderful thing. As far as how much they are making in profit- If you calculate your true expenses-not race cars and other luxuries- just food, gas, home, etc., I can guarantee you that you will be making more profit (income minus expenses) than the 7-9% that oil company's make. In other words, they are working for less profit than you are. Bottom line is that when big business is making money, there are a few CEO's that make huge amounts of money. But in the big picture what they make isn't even a blip on the companies' radar. The true winners are the shareholders and "YOU". Without big business making big profits, the economic engine falters. When the economic engine falters we have a lower standard of living. Quit griping about prices and look at the standard of living you have. The economy drives invention, invention makes our lives better and easier. My father grew up in a house with no inside plumbing. He was a lot better off than many of the people on this board. Its all relative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 Fact is I did go to the I69 meeting in Harlingen which was exactly the same one presented all over the country.I saw the route and to my surprise it is NOT a new road,rather they are going to take eather 281 or 77 to make the toll road in south Texas.I have a vested intrest since my business is on 77.I have the brochure that explains exactly how they will take the right of way,condem it and pay what they want.If you dont agree on the price they will take it anyway and allow the property owner to take them to court.Thanks to the Supreme Court rulling on Imminate Domain. Also the construction costs along with right of way costs will be paid for with several taxes most notably a 40 cent per gallon tax increase on gasolene and diesel and excise taxes on autos. They also admitted the I69 toll road will be owned privately,the highest bidder. The real kicker is that the tax free imported goods transported on this Makidadora highway will be carried by Mexican trucks now that they have been cleared by ICC to travel the entire country rather than the 500 mile range that was the limit. The scariest part was I stayed at the 4 hour meeting for over 2 hours and only a dozen people even showed up from the public.They CAN say there were public hearings on the subject.All the pieces of the puzzle are comming together nicely for them.Remember all this so in a few years I can say I TOLD YOU SO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie49 Posted May 17, 2007 Report Share Posted May 17, 2007 HWY 77 WAS BUILT ON LAND ACQUIRED THE SAME WAY THAT THE PROPOSED HWY RIGHT OF WAY WILL BE ACQUIRED. SHOULD IT HAVE REMAINED UNBUILT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racer Duck Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 49 said the key word ....SHAREHOLDER ... ... MORE MONEY I HAVE TO HAVE MORE MONEY .SO IF YOU CAN STAB THE LITTLE POEPLE IN THE BACK AND GET AWAY WITH IT ,,WHY NOT ..SOMEONE HAS TO WIN AND SOME HAVE TO LOOSE ..GB DO YOU HAVE A 5000 DALLOR CAR ...NAH I DIDNT THINK SO ..I SAW WHAT YOU HAVE .IT AINT MUCH ..EVEN THAT TRUCK YOU HAVE ..POOR PEOPLE OVER IN OTHER COUNTRYS ..WHATS THAT GOT TO DO WITH SHAREHOLDERS ..WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH OUR GAS BEING SO HIGH ..WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH BEING TAKEN BY OUR OWN OIL COMPANYS ..AND INSURANCE .THIS IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING ON THE ANSWER I GET .. oldtimer: In order- MORE MONEY MORE MONEY- Hell yes I want more money, unless Mother Teresa signed up on this board recently we all want more money, 3/4 of the discussions on this board relat to more money, cars, rules, admissions, purses, fees, tracks, gas prices, etc. STAB THE LITTLE PEOPLE IN THE BACK- First, who are the little people, you? me? everyone that has less money than Bill Gates? Everyone that has less money than me? Everyone that has less money than you? Midgets? There are no little people. Second, how is anyone getting stabbed in the back? Is it stabbing you in the back because we live in a capitalist country to have the capitalist make money. If all these people that are making this money were to stop making money this economy would come to a screaming halt. Then we'd all be in the soup line. There's no one on this board that's truly poor. We're just less well off than someone else and because of it we don't want them to have as much. POOR PEOPLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES- Your gas isn't that high that's what they have to do with it. Everyone is sitting around complaining about the price of gas. Gas isn't high, its higher than it was. We live in a country that has a higher standard of living than most of the world can imagine. No matter how much we make, how low the price, how low the tax, we complain. We are spoiled In study after study, among people of all income brackets, the average person feels that they would be financially secure if they made about 40% more income. In other words, none of us are content with what we have. TAKEN BY OUR OWN OIL COMPANIES- Our own oil companies Are Us. We can't take ourselves. If you took 5 dollars a week you would be able to invest 260.00/ year. Invest 260.00 a year in oil and leave it there and see what kind of return you get. Compound interest is a wonderful thing. As far as how much they are making in profit- If you calculate your true expenses-not race cars and other luxuries- just food, gas, home, etc., I can guarantee you that you will be making more profit (income minus expenses) than the 7-9% that oil company's make. In other words, they are working for less profit than you are. Bottom line is that when big business is making money, there are a few CEO's that make huge amounts of money. But in the big picture what they make isn't even a blip on the companies' radar. The true winners are the shareholders and "YOU". Without big business making big profits, the economic engine falters. When the economic engine falters we have a lower standard of living. Quit griping about prices and look at the standard of living you have. The economy drives invention, invention makes our lives better and easier. My father grew up in a house with no inside plumbing. He was a lot better off than many of the people on this board. Its all relative. Rookie, the only things I would add are about the rediculous government regulations that make construction of a new refinery so cost prohibitive that the oil companies don't see an ROI (return on investment) that's good for the company and its shareholders: and the shareholders aren't just the rich cats (like you), but everyone in this country that has a retirement fund: mom, dad, brother, sister, son, daughter, cousin, the people next door, the guy down the street, the do-nut shop owner, etc.... Yes, high fuel prices affect everyone .. even GW and Bill Gates. Every tomato bought in a supermarket is affected by the fuel prices, every pound of rubber shipped into the US to make tires (even racing tires) is affected by the fuel prices, and every watt of power consumed by the computers of the people on this forum complaining about high fuel prices is affected buy the fuel prices! You can argue about who is affected more, but how many are doing their part to reduce the load on the system? How many of you that are complaining drive around alone in your car/truck? How many of you jump into the car/truck to run to the convenience store for a pack of smokes and/or a soda/beer? There's hundreds of ways to cut back, but how many are doing it? I'm personally overjoyed that I can buy diesel for less than premium unleaded for the first time in almost a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 according to Patrick Jackman at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics,food prices in 2007 are rising at their highest rate in years.He was quoted yesteday in the business section of the newspaper as saying, "we are going to see grocery store prices to show one of the most rapid increases in the last 15 years or so". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REBELRACER Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 we may have it bad, but it could always be a whole heck of a lot worse............i would rather pay $3.00 a gallon for gas than have to live in constant fear of death due to insurgents like iraq and the middle east.........or have to pay $5.00 a gallon for regular like in europe.........as bad as the cost of gas is, i am still happy to be living in the USA.........i could really care less about foreign countries or any of their problems.........GOD BLESS AMERICA............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 we may have it bad, but it could always be a whole heck of a lot worse............i would rather pay $3.00 a gallon for gas than have to live in constant fear of death due to insurgents like iraq and the middle east.........or have to pay $5.00 a gallon for regular like in europe.........as bad as the cost of gas is, i am still happy to be living in the USA.........i could really care less about foreign countries or any of their problems.........GOD BLESS AMERICA............. price gouging .. period ,, shoot i wonder when im going to get a raise ... ..it could be a hundred dallors for gas in europe i dont care ..this isnt europe . when your own goverment lets oil company or any company gouge thats wrong ..so what needs to happen is we the poeple need to go after the ones .that let this happen .. including ourselfs .. the one thing i find funny if it was funny ,is last year ..it was oil prices by the barrel that raised the price so hi ..now its we dont have enough plants to produce what we need ... so whats it going to be next year .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 what's it going to be next year?-the same people, on here complaining about the same thing-lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racer Duck Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 what's it going to be next year?-the same people, on here complaining about the same thing-lol AMEN and AMEN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landlord Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 If an upstart company could build a refinery and start making gas then I would say it's fair.All the tree hugging idiot rules out there make it impossible to build a new one.So the big companies just keep rebuilding these delapidated old refineries around here,keep em for the amount of time the E.P.A.says they can before they have to be up to modern code and then they sell it to the other big company and the whole thing starts all over again.Gulf in Port Arthur has been sold 4 times in 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rookie49 Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Rookie, the only things I would add ...and the shareholders aren't just the rich cats (like you), If only. We obviously haven't met. Does anyone else notice the irony in saying, "the heck with the rest of the world I don't care how poor they are I want mine" while at the same time saying, "I'm tired of the government letting these oil companies get theirs. Doesn't anybody care about the little guy. They should give up some of their profit so I can have it better." Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Gas just hit 3.10 for regular.I hope the import car companies hurry up and show us an alternative fuel car.I really dont like being squeezed by anybody.Al Capone would be proud of the government and the oil companies for what they have acomplished.Justifying them is as ludicrus as telling the racer he should race for free or peanuts and be happy he has a place to race.BUNK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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