[Az-Geocaching] Letter to the Editor

Brian Casteel listserv@azgeocaching.com
Tue, 19 Aug 2003 16:15:17 -0700


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Every once in awhile, something strikes a nerve and I have a moment of =
enlightened thought, which I put in the form of an e-mail and fire off =
to The Tribune to give a voice to my words.  Here's the latest =
incarnation of my thought process, so tell me what you think.

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So a pipeline ruptures and is shutdown for 'safety' concerns.  =
Meanwhile, this pipeline that supplies (latest random figure) 30% of the =
fuel to Phoenix creates a lack of fuel at a percentage of fuel pumps FAR =
exceeding the 30% deficit we are experiencing by this pipeline =
situation.  Just as we saw when the war with Iraq began, price gouging =
was realized at a number of stations around the Valley.  Channel 15 =
interviews a gas station owner live where he tries to push off the =
justification of his $4.00/gallon prices by criticizing the fact that =
the very station is interviewing him can charge what they feel for a =
commercial spot during any show on-air, and he should have the ability =
to charge whatever he wants for his fuel.  Another also shown on TV shut =
his station down amid safety concerns (should we be surprised?) for =
robbing customers with an astronomical $4.97/gallon.  Where is all this =
leading?  Price gouging, and the lack of laws against it.  Already this =
year, we've seen 2 situations which have spiked fuel prices to =
unnecessary highs, and unscrupulous business owners taking advantage of =
customers to line their pockets with a flood of ill-gotten gain.

My question to the legislators of this state is this:  Which of you is =
going to step to the plate and propose legislation (and follow it to =
signing) that will outlaw such practices and instigate a more fair =
system of pricing for consumers on fuel?  I'm thinking that Jeff =
Groscost should lend his time to someone to assist in this endeavour.

What has transpired this past week with all these fuel delivery problems =
is something that never should have been allowed to happen.  There needs =
to be regulation at the pumps if only in the form of anti-gouging laws.  =
At least then a ceiling would be set, but I would expect there to be a =
number of hoops and a system of checks and balances that would make it =
difficult for owners to raise their prices to that ceiling without =
concrete justification.  Come on legislators, let's see what you can do =
about protecting the consumer, who are coincidentally, also your =
constituents.

Brian
Team A.I.
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Every once in awhile, something strikes =
a nerve and=20
I have a moment of enlightened thought, which I put in the form of an =
e-mail and=20
fire off to The Tribune to give a voice to my words.&nbsp; Here's the =
latest=20
incarnation of my thought process, so tell me what you =
think.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>----------------------------------------------------------------=
---------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>So a pipeline ruptures and is shutdown =
for 'safety'=20
concerns.&nbsp; Meanwhile,&nbsp;this pipeline that supplies (latest =
random=20
figure) 30% of the fuel to Phoenix creates a lack of fuel at a =
percentage of=20
fuel pumps FAR exceeding the 30% deficit we are experiencing by this =
pipeline=20
situation.&nbsp; Just as we saw when the war with Iraq began, price =
gouging was=20
realized at a number of stations around the Valley.&nbsp; Channel 15 =
interviews=20
a gas station owner live where he tries to push off the justification of =
his=20
$4.00/gallon prices by criticizing the fact that the very =
station&nbsp;is=20
interviewing him can charge what they feel for a commercial spot during =
any show=20
on-air, and he should have the ability to charge whatever he wants for =
his=20
fuel.&nbsp; Another also shown on TV shut his station down amid safety =
concerns=20
(should we be surprised?) for robbing customers with an astronomical=20
$4.97/gallon.&nbsp; Where is all this leading?&nbsp; Price gouging, and =
the lack=20
of laws against it.&nbsp; Already this year, we've seen 2 situations =
which have=20
spiked fuel prices to unnecessary highs, and unscrupulous business =
owners taking=20
advantage of customers to line their pockets with a flood of ill-gotten=20
gain.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>My question to the legislators of this =
state is=20
this:&nbsp; Which of you is going to step to the plate and propose =
legislation=20
(and follow it to signing) that will outlaw such practices and instigate =
a more=20
fair system of pricing for consumers on fuel?&nbsp; I'm thinking that =
Jeff=20
Groscost should lend his time to someone to assist in this=20
endeavour.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>What has transpired this past week with =
all these=20
fuel delivery problems is something that never should have been allowed =
to=20
happen.&nbsp; There needs to be regulation at the pumps if only in the =
form of=20
anti-gouging laws.&nbsp; At least then a ceiling would be set, but I =
would=20
expect there to be a number of hoops and a system of checks and balances =
that=20
would make it difficult for owners to raise their prices to that ceiling =
without=20
concrete justification.&nbsp; Come on legislators, let's see what you =
can do=20
about protecting the consumer, who are coincidentally, also&nbsp;your=20
constituents.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Brian</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Team =
A.I.</FONT></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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