Even before Bethany's story in today's paper, we've had some letters to our department asking why local gas prices have been creeping back up, even as the barrel price for oil kept dropping.
After falling for months, the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline in Fresno rose nearly 13 cents since Dec. 13 to almost $1.90 Tuesday. The average in the Visalia-Tulare-Porterville area increased 12 cents since Dec. 15 to nearly $1.94 a gallon.Meanwhile, the national average has fallen during that period to below $1.62 a gallon.
Reasons given in the story seem sketchy to me: prices in California run higher (but why are prices just going up here?); prices usually rise around holidays (but why are prices just going up here?); changes are happening at West Coast refineries (but why are prices just going up here?).
PHOTO BY ERIC PAUL ZAMORA/THE FRESNO BEE: Tee Kong changes the price for gas, an increase of 6 cents per gallon, at W Food and Liquor at the southeast corner of Ventura and Cedar Avenues on Tuesday in Fresno.
It's simple - because they can!
You think corporate oil will feel sorry for consumers and lower prices?
I was just telling my wife the other day when the local station posted a price of $1.89, up from $1.69, "Look...it's gone clear up to $1.89!"
A month or so ago I pointed out to her in shock, "Look...it's gone clear down to $1.89!"
...maybe payback for the valley's democrat vote swing? doubleing the price may have been
the last gift to the industry they rode,(flew) in on, who could forget Kenny boy's jets so graciously loaned to the campaign?
i paid $1.65 two week ago today it was $1.75
Do you think it's maybe that the price of crude oil jumped five bucks a barrel or maybe the Saudis are trying to recover the $25 million they gave to "The Clintons".No that wouldn't satisfy your collective psychosis.
You're missing the point, Brian. It's not the Saudis or the price of crude oil, because gas prices have gone up locally at the same time that they were falling nationwide. So the cause must be in the distribution of gasoline to the region, not in the price of crude oil (which is still dropping thanks to our lousy economy). Maybe that won't satisfy your Clinton conspiracy theories, but thems the facts.
I think I get more enjoyment watching the comments when I remove the need to respond.
IM DONE! Im selling the car !
With all the extra costs they add in California we are a good .30 higher that other states. While it going up I am much happier than when it was over $4 a gallon. I was ready to get a hybrid until the salesman told me you are running on gas most of the time if your going over 35mph which defeats the purpose of having one.
It's not just California, it is all over. I'm across the country from you. Here in Washington DC, I watched Exxon's prices for regular gas. It was $1.58 on January 2nd. The following Wednesday it rose $0.10 to $1.68.
Now, I look at it today (Thursday) and it rose again to $1.75, causing a $0.07 increase. So overall, it was a $0.17 increase in less than a week here and we are worried sick that we would see these prices hit $2 again...and soon.
For those of you who think it has something to do with the presidency; it DOES NOT. For those who think it has much to do with "supply and demand"; it DOES NOT. For those of you "politicians" who think it has much to do with Russia cutting off oil supply and the fighting in Hamas; it DOES NOT.
Look at what picture is being painted here: in 2008, Exxon Mobile received over $12B in PROFIT because of the raised prices on gasoline. This marks a historic high in incentives ever for this gas company. People, the government has control over the oil prices and they are using much of this to receive incentives to eat away at the growing national debt and the money we owe to China. Why do you think all of a sudden we just saw a dramatic decrease in prices, since September going from $4/gal to $1.50/gal in a matter of weeks? There was no reason for the prices to jump in the first place since Clinton left office. And just as this blog points out, "we have decreased the demand of oil because we have started to drive less," but that is totally NOT the issue. We are driving lesser, but the prices are creeping.
The issue is the government is behind this mess, hurting the American people's pockets and this will be ongoing if we don't do something. We have a new Congress, we have a new president and we have a better cabinet to do what needs to be done to get to energy efficiency. We need to start using more of our own oil reserves and the oil we tap off our own coasts to lower the prices while the incentives we earn from our own oil reserves can be used to invest in clean technology and energy efficiency. Countries like Brazil and Saudia Arabia charge their own people less than $1 in their currency for gas because they use their own oil. Wake up America!!
Yes, I believe the prices are going out of control. Which is true with our government they don't care anymore about you or anyone else! All they want you to do is spend your money. The government is in on the oil prices just as much as the oil company's.
They just won't admit and deny it. We are losing more rights every day. Everyone wants the government to fix this country. Well when you rely on the government that means less rights. And also means communism, when the government dictates what you can and can't do!
This country was a country for the people by the people. Not a country for the government by the government.
We will just have to wait and see how bad the new jerk in office screws things up!
The media is also a big part of the reason we are in the shape we are in. The media stands for gays, homosexualality, communism and the democratic party. The media hates this country would rather see this country in admists of a chaotic mess!
Yes, you are right because they can.
The first thing Obama should do is make gas no more than $1.50 and put a freeze on the price of gas to get this economy back. The gas people already profit and will continue to profit either way.
Because even if we get money we have to spend it on gas. Everything depends on it. That is one reason we are in this situation right now.
Wake up goverment and President Obama and really make a change for the better.
Thank you.
I THINK WE NEED TO GO BACK TO HORSE AND BUGGY!!!
I AGREE!! THE GOVERMENT CAN AND SHOULD STEP IN AND PUT A FREEZE ON GAS PRICES AT $1.50!!