Assemblyman Hawley calls on residents to lobby for end to gas price discrepancies

Here's a news release sent today from Assemblyman Steve Hawley's office.

For the last two years, I have written numerous letters and made several phone calls to the NYS Attorney General’s Office and personally met with a representative of the office concerning the drastic fluctuation in the price of gas from county to county.

In my letters, I cited the discrepancy of gas pricing and frustration felt by citizens in the 139th Assembly District.

The district I represent consists of all of Orleans County, most of Genesee County, the Town of Somerset in Niagara County and the towns of Clarkson, Parma and Hamlin in Monroe County.

In most instances, the price per gallon of gas is considerably higher in Genesee and Orleans counties than in the surrounding counties. I know there are many variables which determine the price per gallon of gasoline, but with the price per barrel of crude oil falling, this discrepancy should not occur in Western New York.

In his response to my letters, the Attorney General’s Executive Director of Legislative Affairs and State Policy Jim Malatras notified me that the issue of price gauging was still under investigation.

A two-year investigation without a concrete and definitive answer other than “it’s zone pricing” is long enough.

For this reason, I encourage citizens who feel the variance in pricing should be investigated to express your opinions by contacting the NYS Attorney General’s Office or by signing the New York State Consumer Protection Board CPB Gasoline Price Gouging Complaint Form.

Attorney General’s Office
Phone: (585) 546-7430
Website: http://www.ag.ny.gov/resource_center/complaints/complaints.html

NYS Consumer Protection Board
Website: https://www1.consumer.state.ny.us/cpb/GASComplaintForm.html