Council member concerned with cost of gas in area
Gasoline prices, and the discrepancy with other northeast Michigan communities, were discussed at the Rogers City Council meeting Monday. At the urging of city constituents, councilman Ralph Baker promised to bring the matter before council, to see if the city wanted to initiate some type of action. ?What can the council do?? asked Baker. ?What can we do for the community? Is there anything we can do?? Baker passed out an example of a letter he thought could be sent to area gas suppliers.
?I?M ASKING whether we should be doing something of that nature,? Baker said of the letter. ?I guess, I?ve always been, in this capacity as a councilman, a representative of the citizens of Rogers City,? he said. ?I?m as amazed as anyone that we can have a 14 cent per gallon difference in a 40-mile delivery range and have every one of the (local) suppliers identical.? Baker wants an explanation for himself, and for city residents.
?I would also suggest we send a letter to Haloran Oil to see if they can give us a little insight as to how these, what I call, peculiar monopolies, can be circumvented,? Baker said. ?I think it?s been a problem for several years,? said councilman Jim Sinclair.
MAYOR BEACH HALL believes it?s not the role of the city council to tell any private, for-profit organization, what they can and cannot charge for services.? ?I have the same questions at times that you do,? Hall said. ?And frustrations,? Sinclair added. ?Having just driven some 4,000 miles, I can tell you gas prices jumped all over, at least from Colorado to here, between going out before Christmas and after Christmas,? said Hall. ?I have the same questions, some frustrations, some curiosity, but I frankly don?t think it?s our role to interfere with gas prices any more than it is with groceries, restaurants, or cameras, or any of the other businesses in town. That?s my own personal opinion.? Councilman Karl Heidemann agreed with Hall.
?It?s probably not the job of this council, but the attorney general of the state of Michigan has the responsibility to protect the consumer from price gouging and unfair competition or monopolies, or price fixing,? Heidemann said. ?Certainly a complaint can be filed with the attorney general?s office. They do investigate complaints.?
GAS PRICES for regular unleaded averaged $1.58 per gallon in Rogers City this week, when co
?Having just written an article for the (city) newsletter, encouraging people to buy locally, I don?t think it?s too wise to drive 40 miles to save a few cents on gas,? said Hall, ?but I think in the long run there are people who utilize that as a reason to shop out of town instead of in town.
?I?d rather see them stay in town. It could be that this discussion may have an impact.? After hearing the discussion, Baker decided not to introduce a resolution, believing it would be defeated. He also said after the meeting he would not personally send a letter to the attorney general?s office.
