posted on May, 7 2005 @ 07:11 PM
99% of gas stations make only a few cents off of every gallon they sell.The reason prices are so high..or much higher than they need to be is the
federal and state tax on gas.What most people don't realize is that for every dollar you put in the tank an average of forty cents of that dollar
goes to tax.As for raising or lowering gas prices,gas stations do it all the time.Pay attention in your area and watch what happens when one station
lowers or raises their prices.Within a few hours every station in your area will be at a similiar price.If you have ever worked in a gas station
you'll know that the station's don't set the price.The oil company or petroleum company that supplies that station's gas sets it.You can be at one
price for half your shift an get a call to lower or raise the prices.I don't know the laws in Maryland,but here in Missouri it's not uncommon for a
station to lower it's prices way under it's competiters.They have a popular radio station send out some djs and send it over the airwaves that they
are sellin cheap gas.
I've worked in the convienence store field for years trust me after the feds an states get thru adding there taxes to every gallon the stations make
if they're lucky two cents off every gallon.The selling of gas is only a very very small percentage of sales.
Say that gas down the street from you is $2.00 a gallon..You take out the 36 or 37 cents in federal tax and the 15 or 16 cents in state tax.You're
looking at paying only a buck forty,buck fifty a gallon.
But to quit my rambling and get to the point.I don't understand why they would get on this guys case about him lowering the price below his
cost.Maybe to make sure they got their money from the tax?I don't think that lower his price makes any difference to the feds or state must be more
to the story that we aren't hearing.
The whole thing of big companies tryin to put the little guy out of business is a given.But as I said stations make next to nothing on their gas
sales.The main profits come from inside sales like junk food smokes and beer.
So the little guy can still compete with the big corporations.
That Paul Fiore fellow saying that he hasn't seen it being harmful to consumers has obviously not had to put off paying one of his bills in order to
make sure he has enough gas money for the week.Or had to tell his kids we can't afford to buy you that book at the book fair this week because of gas
prices.Maybe he should go talk to a cab driver and ask him or her if the gas prices have been harmful to them.I'm sure he'll be goin home with a
pocketful of teeth.
I was in a rush writing this so if it doesn't make any sense I apologize ahead of time for wasting your time.