Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon today announced legal action is being taken against the owners of 10 gas stations, including Snak Atak at 10th and Rangeline, Joplin, for price gouging in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Nixon's investigation began Aug. 31, two days after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, according to a news release from the attorney general. The owners of the gas stations will have to pay fines into the local school fund.
Snak Atak agreed to pay a $500 fine.
Nixon filed a lawsuit in Greene County Circuit Court against Express Lanes, 2959 N. Grant, Springfield, saying that station increased its profit margin on gas by more than 400 percent in the days after Katrina hit.
2 comments:
Randy,
Just FYI, the site listed is wrong. It's actually the Snak Atak at 10th and Rangeline. Had this confirmed through the A.G.'s office.
Randy,
I am curious about who is actually gouging us the worst?
I agree that the stations should not take advantage of the consumers but under a free enterprize system how much is considered to be a fair profit margin for gas at the pump? I have been told by several station owners in the past that they only make 2 to 3 cents per gallon over their actual cost so if the 400% markup for them is an 8 to 10 cent increase who is getting the rest of the gouging as the price jumps by 20 of 50 cents per gallon?
I am bothered by the lame excuses the oil industry keeps giving us about why the prices go up, such as they anticipate a disaster or the crude oil prices have increased. No one has ever broken down the money trail for gas enough for me to feel sorry for the oil suppliers or the refiners yet. How much are they gouging us every time we see the huge increase at the pumps?
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