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North Country Assemblyman Blankenbush proposes end to ‘unfair’ gasoline zone pricing

Posted 8/28/15

Assemblyman Blankenbush, R-Black River, is joining Assembly members who wish to change the motor fuel company practice of gasoline zone pricing, which they believe is making for unfairly higher …

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North Country Assemblyman Blankenbush proposes end to ‘unfair’ gasoline zone pricing

Posted

Assemblyman Blankenbush, R-Black River, is joining Assembly members who wish to change the motor fuel company practice of gasoline zone pricing, which they believe is making for unfairly higher prices for North Country drivers.

“I’ve had many constituents bring to my attention the growing disparity in gasoline pricing by region,” said Blankenbush, who represents the St. Lawrence County Towns of Norfolk, Madrid, Stockholm, Parishville, Pierrepont, Clare, Colton, Clifton and Fine. Looking at online price sources, Blankenbush said in a press release, “there does seem to be a regional disparity in cost,” with prices in St. Lawrence County higher than the state average and higher than in Watertown, Lowville, Utica and Syracuse.

“Many of my constituents who commute to work in Syracuse are puzzled by this, as am I. The higher regional pricing in our area puts us at a disadvantage.” In a broacast report, Blankenbush said, a representative from the American Automobile Association (AAA) said the high prices may be because a lower volume is sold in these areas.

The assemblyman said he has joined with Democrat Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi in sponsoring a bill “to end this unfair practice of regional pricing, which negatively impacts residents in this region. We believe gasoline pricing should be determined by the costs of crude oil, transportation, vending and natural market occurrences, rather than the discriminatory practice of regional pricing. This bill would impose tighter controls to prevent such pricing schemes,” he said.

This pricing is not the same as price gouging. State law, Blankenbush said, “prohibits merchants from taking unfair advantage of consumers by selling goods or services for an ‘unconscionably excessive price’ during an ‘abnormal disruption of the market,’ like the flooding we experienced a few years ago. This law applies to grocery stores, gas stations, hardware stores and other businesses.”