EDITOR:
In Escanaba a couple of weeks ago, gas prices were dropping on a regular basis. We got down to $3.59 and $3.60 two weeks ago.
This is important when you run a taxi company.
All of a sudden, the price jumps 29 cents one morning. Why? The crude oil prices rise sharply? No. In fact, they dropped quite sharply. Maybe the ever-present "refinery fire," wink wink, nudge nudge. No. Nobody claimed that excuse this time.
What else was happening in this area? According to channel 6, Marquette area prices jumped about the same, maybe a little more. Menominee didn't. What happened May 5? NMU graduation. Bay College graduation. Lots of people driving. Then on Monday, after graduation, everybody has left the area, the prices start dropping.
There are laws about price gouging. If a bad hurricane is approaching in Louisiana, the lumber yard knows that people need plywood to board up their homes.
There are laws against them gouging customers. That is against the law. Why do the gas stations get away with it? Is there just too much money behind the scenes for any of those in power to do anything? Where are our elected officials? It could be stopped. I ran a gas station. I know what they do. I know how they manipulate the prices. I did it.
Tom Grant
Escanaba