Gas prices top $3 in Willmar area
December 3, 2010 at 3:01 am in West Central Tribune
Gas prices Thursday topped $3 at some pumps in the Willmar area Thursday, the first time gas prices have hit that level in more than two years.
Gas for regular unleaded was posted as $3.049 Thursday afternoon at SuperAmerica in Willmar, but the station had dropped the price had $2.999 as of early Friday morning. Continue Reading
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So, when Bush was in office, and gas hit $5 per gallon – who’s fault was that??
Do tell, Harold…
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Using liberal logic, it was Bush’s fault. Using that same liberal logic, now it’s the incoming Republican’s fault. Although, Bush has only been out of office for two years, so it could still be his fault.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Isn’t it always Republican’s fault – no matter what the problem, or who’s in the majority?
I’m kidding of course!
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Too funny Breezy. Thanks for the laugh.
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What I’d like to know is why most if not all of Willmar’s gas provider’s price changes seem synchronized? Since they’re in lockstep are they all secretly owned/managed from afar by the same big corporation? I long for the days of gas wars, but since they’re a thing of the past they’re not likely to return. But there can still be competition – I was traveling the Indiana Toll Road last Sunday and gas was 30 cents per gallon cheaper at the border with Illinois than it was at the border with Ohio. If known in advance the solution is to fill up in Ohio on one’s way westward.
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gary- Might be a difference in state taxes. I know when I’m in Missouri, gas is 10 cents cheaper than just across the border in Kansas. As far as price changes go, I think you’ll find that happens in most cities. What I want to know is, why when it goes up, it goes 10-12 cents, but when it comes down, it’s a penny at a time?
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Badapple – You’re probably right re state taxes influencing gas prices, but in my case the 30 cent reduction in price was from a station on the eastern end of Indiana to one on the western end. My point is that In most other businesses the seemingly synchonized Willmar price increases might well be contrued as price fixing.
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Okay, that would be hard to understand. California is a good example of that. San Diego has higher prices then most places in CA. Wonder why that is? Hard to figure gas prices. I know one thing, we’ve been lucky over the years with our low prices…compared to other countries. It would hit a lot of people real hard if our prices went to $5 a gallon like other countries. In Willmar the price would be $5.30.
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I know I’ll get in trouble here…but I was able to travel to Europe and the UK in 2009. They drive much smaller cars and ride the bus/train. The folks in the U.S. drive SUVs as a status symbol. None of us enjoy paying more at the pump, but we won’t be responsible unless we are forced into it.
That said, I agree with Gary about Willmar and Spicer – anyone who is making a trip to St Cloud to shop plans to fill up in Paynesville since they are usually less.
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Also, I’ve noticed if you get off the interstate and go into the town, the price can be as much as a dime less. Same with lodging, for that matter.
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b.a.c. Sometimes, but even then they’ve got you by the short hair(s). Time off the interstate is time lost on a long trip. I’ve a friend who routinely takes interstates rather than toll roads. Says it saves money on gas. But doesn’t want to be told (or admit) that italso adds over a hundred miles to his trip. Interstates are a god-send to long-distance drivers, but were the death knell of mom-and-pop businesses along such majors as US 12 and US 1.
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Gary, a couple years ago, I had to drive from Osakis to Pierre, SD. If I would have used the ‘mapquest’ route and taken interstates, it would have been over 400 miles. I crossed at Watertown and took 14 to Pierre. Only 5 mph difference, and I saved nearly 200 miles. And got to see a lot of things you miss on the interstates.
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I’m surprised gary wouldn’t want to fill up at the one with more taxes included and pay his fair share.
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Minnesota has a law regarding the pricing of gasoline at the pumps – Minnesota law defines “cost” as the “average terminal price on the day, at the terminal from which the most recent supply of gasoline delivered to the retail location was acquired, plus all applicable state and federal excise taxes and fees, plus the lesser of six percent or eight cents.” There is no governmental control on the maximum retail price of gasoline.
But here is a link to show what is going on elsewhere in the state and do some checking for yourself. http://www.minnesotagasprices.com/ Most times when I travel, I check the stations along the route to see who has the lowerst price.
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Curiosity got the best of me with regards to gary liermans remark about differences between states. Found a chart – http://www.api.org/statistics/fueltaxes/upload/October_2010_gasoline_and_diesel_summary_pages.pdf Interesting about the excise taxes etc.
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BobK – I’m not concerned enough to get into the research, but Just to be clear, the example I wrote about was the difference in price within Indiana, not about the difference in price between Indiana and Ohio, PA, MD, VA, IL, WI and MN. In other words, the BP station in western Indiana was selling its gas for 30 cents a gallon less than the (and I think it may have been Amoco – don’t quote me) station on the eastern end of the state. To avoid paying either, one has to get off the toll road, and then it’s not clear what the prices would be where you did.
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Gary, first you will see from the chart there is a difference in taxes between the eastern and western edges of the states bordering and that of Indiana. The second biggest factor is the cost of delivery from the terminal to the station which varies and adds cost to the station. One can always look at the spot price of crude oil which has fluctated – spot price for Dec 1, 2010 WTI Cushing Crude (New York Harbor) has gone up 8% in the past 30 days much the same as the Nov 24, 2010 North Sea Brent Crude spot price has done. So many factors go into the differences and cannot be pinned on the dealers or oil companies. Your concern of oil companies being in lockstep needed clarification of what goes into the pricing of gasoline before it hits the retailer and that of the consumer questioning the price and the differences.
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Gas is usually more expensive along major roads because real estate is more expensive there too, it costs more to locate there.
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BobK – I guess we’re getting somewhat off the point here. I think/thought the genesis of my first note is that most if not all of the Willmar stations (and Spicer, too) seem to set the same price at the same time, thus my term lockstep. If, as I think you say, individual stations have some flexibility in establishing prices, one would think that the owner/manager of one or more would have the business acumen to charge a cent or two or three less than others and thus stimulate competition. As it is, there isn’t any price competition, and all gas burns pretty much the same (might even come from the same pipeline) so it’s only brand loyalty that seems to be in play. And that’s just sorta sheepish. In any event, it is what it is, but I know if I had a station and the flexibility to compete pricewise that’s what I would be doing.
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Yes, most gas all comes off the same truck, regardless of station. And, all the stations are connected via fax or computer to the home companies which send them any price changes they have to do. That’s why all the stations in any given town raise or lower the prices within minutes of each other.
Anyone else notice that the prices always seem to go up a few days before a holiday weekend, fishing or hunting opener? Don’t know about any place else, but Alexandria always used to go up on Thursday about noon, and back down on Tuesday morning. Every weekend.
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Last Saturday gas in Willmar was 2.84, spicer was 2.79, Paynesville was 2.77. My experience over the past 2 yrs is gas in Montrose is usually the cheapest along Hwy 12. Interesting that Sunray Square was 2.84 while the Eagle Lake Sinclair station (old Tom Thumb) was 2.79. I think there is about a 2 mile diference between the 2 locations if that. Just saying.
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The liberals posting here are supposed to be happy when the price of gas goes up so it can stifle the economy further. We’ve heard many liberals clamour for higher gas taxes, which of course raises the price of gas. Many times in the past I’ve heard them say gas prices need to be higher. What do those liberals now have against paying their fair share?
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None of us want to see the profits of the big oil companies go up while the rest of us struggle. What is needed is better funding for roads & bridges and an incentive for responsible use of natural resources.
Can you find something constructive to add to this conversation or do you just plan to ridicule?
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Ridiculing liberal no minds is very necessary, fun and appropriate. If you liberals could come up with something other than utter nonsense maybe someone could take you seriously. You come up with bonehead ideas and expect to be applauded.
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I’d rather see the oil company profits go up so the stockholders can do well. If we use the liberal point of view and raise gas taxes to get the price up it’s just money going directly down the government rathole rather than improving the economy and creating jobs.
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I have a hard time believing BAC saved 200 miles in a 400-mile trip from Osakis, MN to Pierre, SD unless his odometer was broken. I just used Mapquest, and the distance was 369 miles. There was just a short run on I-94. There is no way the trip could be 200 miles (400 minus 200).
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Not sure about the discrepany in miles here, but you gotta take mapquest with a grain of salt. In June it took us 30 miles out of the way between Willmar and Alexandria. The sign in Glenwood read Alexandria straight ahead; mapquest directed a left turn onto Hwy 55 and our driver chose to believe mapquest. In any event, how does all of this relate to the original post; i., the seemingly fixed price of gas in Willmar?
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We’re supposed to be surprised you took a left turn gary?
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Rambone – I realize you’re challenged comprehension-wise, but if you can read my note you’ll see that I wasn’t driving. Now get back to running your business, and try hiring your (by your description) deadbeat “close relatives.” Get them off the dole, OK? I’m tired of paying for repub slackers, and if you’re anywhere as benevolent a boss as you claim to be they should be honored to come to work for you.
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You were in the car weren’t you or didn’t you have any idea where you were. Who said my relatives were Republicans? Who said I was benevolent? I just treat my employee with the respect they deserve. Sorry you find that offensive and a subject for ridicule. Try work a little harder on your comprehension next time please. Thanks for playing.
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436 miles if you stay on interstate as much as possible. 333 miles if you take the shortest route.
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That is not a “200 mile” difference, is it?
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No, it’s 103. Sue me.
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You’re easy to surprise, Rambone. In the military venacular, you’d be considered a soft target.
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Venacular would probably refer more to liberal Congressmen like Charlie Rangel, as in venal. That doesn’t have anything to do with military vernacular.
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Prices going up at the pump is inevitable, as will be inflation on all goods and services in the not-too-distant future. The national debt is out of control, and nothing is being done to control it. Almost $4 TRILLION in the national debt has been added just since Barack Obama walked into the White House.
All that aside, people make choices every day in what the buy – houses, autos, appliances, clothing, food. For anyone to make broad statements on motivations is ludicrous. Nora commented that “The folks in the U.S. drive SUVs as a status symbol.” Really? One neighbor of mine drives a Lexus. Another drives an Escalade. Yet another drives an older Blazer. None of these people give a rat’s bottom about status. They bought what they wanted and could afford. Will they be looking to buy a Prius in the near future? I doubt it. Is it “status?” No. It is personal preference.
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It’s wasteful – and many people with the means are buying the Prius as a status symbol to show their responsibility to conservation. Creating new “green” tecnologies will have more benefits for more people – create jobs by creating something new. Europeans are offered some pretty sweet cars on their markets that also are more fuel efficient. American made too – but their not offered here because the market isn’t there for practical cars – and the regulation is missing to encourage the market.
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Correction/Addition: Some models of cars are not offered here because of our market – fuel efficient, high performance diesels for example. The autobahn if full of fuel efficient fast cars that don’t make it to U.S. showrooms because car manufacturers’ assume we’d rather burn it up in big trucks and SUVs. Folks here own 7 – 8 passenger vehicles when they rarely have more than one other person riding with them. Use to be the Lexus or Cadillac – but now its the Trail Blazer or Expedition, etc.
The only other reason than vanity could be that the average size of a U.S. bottom is too big to fit in a regular car seat
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Good point, Nora! Some people in this country would have a hard time getting in an RV.
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A friend in KC told me that gas went up there 12 cents last Thursday and another 10 cents today. That dang Bush…sigh!
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Gas is $2.60, gas is $2.58, gas is $2.98, gas is $3.00–so what. Nobody will care after it has been $3.00 then $3.50, etc and then we will be fighting over the fact that gas is $4.00. What fails to compute is that slowly but surely the oil companies get us used to a certain increment and then when nobody bitches about that dolllar amount anymore they raise it–how do you think they score their record profits. Guess I shouldn’t care–own mineral rights in ND but somehow it seems like once again the corps have their way and we sit and suck it up as usual.
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I have seen the coralation between the GOP and high gas prices. Seems to me after the elections in NOV corporations including Big Oil know they can begin to start increasing the prices at the tanks. I knew when they would get elected, there would be tax increases and the prices at the pumps are going up, and so far I am not being disappointed! The best is yet to come, so pay attention, because the GOP will be sticking it to use and have already voted on tax hikes. Now if Obama does not go along with the tax cuts for the rich to continue, they will not allow extensions for the unemployed, and are currently holding this bill hostage until they get what they want. Lets remember this in 2012 people? So Harold what is your defense on this issue? Harold you are one of those who buys the carpetbaggers cure all remedies, and yet you swear by it when you haven’t even drank any of it! Others realize that its nothing but a fake after injesting it yet again. 2012 will not be good for the GOP as many are seeing what they voted for this time around in just the last month. I told them this would happen, and I am afraid I was right!
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jimmy, sometimes people’s glasses fog over, sometimes people’s eyes glaze over and then sometimes people’s memory fades because of brain freeze. I would like to tweak your memory a little bit with regards to your post. When the Dems had control and President Obama took office in 2009, gasoline was a $1.81 per gallon. Then you come out with this Wikipoo post of blaming the Republicans. Better look at your own house before you throw stones(well, maybe not because the Dems have never been transparent and open since the start of 2009).
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What I find funny is you don’t hear anyone bitching when other goods and services go up. Oh my, when gas goes up, look the heck out. When I was younger, bread and gas cost about the same. Today? About the same.
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Yeah, Badapple. Don’t even mention meat prices! I remember 49 cent hamburger and 24 cent chicken. Ask in the store why, and they give you the ‘well gas and diesel prices are up’ story.
What kills me is the local grocer charging $7 for a raw whole chicken, and I can get a roasted one, complete with seasoning at the Walmart for $6. Go figure.
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b.a.c, the difference is because the supplier/wholesaler has negotiated a “take it or leave it” price with Walmart of $5 and the grocer could only get them to $6. Walmart makes it up in volume.:<)
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How about when you can buy a Jennio-O turkey in Arizona for 39 cents a pound but sometimes pay in the 80 cent per pound range here in West Central MN?
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Gee gary, I bet you took a left turn to Arizona and drove all the way down there to save 4 to 8 dollars. Good job gary.
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West Central Minnesota? Is that where that new zip code of 20191 is? I thought that was in Virginia somewhere. Having an identity crisis – AGAIN?
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OLDWOMAN? Oh, I get it … new man / old woman. Seriously? That’s the best you can do? You obviously have no clue who Newman is. Neither the avatar nor the person behind it. You are a joke. If you only knew how many people on here are private messaging how completely clueless you really are.
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Brilliant response, Rambone. But par for tlhe course.
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If you were self aware at all gary you would know that turkeys are used as a leader item in grocery stores, thus the price differential.
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Can I blame my “articulation” on my service provider switching IP addresses for a better connection?
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