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CAPITAL REGION
Businesses hike costs to cover gas prices
BY JAMES SCHLETT Gazette Reporter

    You know spring is getting off to a crappy start when even the rental fee for portable toilets is increasing.
    Crocuses and shorts are not the only things popping up this spring. As Capital Region businesses brace for record high gasoline and diesel prices, hefty fuel-related charges are appearing on bills for everything from pool repair and lawn mowing services to soil deliveries and cruises along the Hudson River.
    At A-1 Johnny on the Spot in Waterford, owner David Taylor Sr. is charging 4.5 percent more for the portable restroom units he rents. For A-1 customers, each unit will cost an average $104.50, compared to $100 a year ago.
    A-1 has traditionally supplied portable restrooms for the Schenectady Air Show in Glenville and the Skidmore College Saratoga Classic Horse Show in Saratoga Springs.
    “There will be grumbling, but they don’t have much choice,” said Taylor.
    The $4.50 hike should help A-1 cover the rising costs of diesel fuel and general liability insurance. Diesel on Thursday was selling in the region for an average $4.25 per gallon, up 51.2 percent from a year ago, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.
    A-1, a 55-year-old Waterford company with four delivery trucks, is lumping the fuel charge into the total rental cost. A-1 did not raise prices last year, but it had implemented a 3.5 percent hike in 2006.
    When the Captain J.P. II leaves its Troy dock and starts hosting cruises in May, passengers will have to pay 15 percent more to ride the ship along the Hudson River. That approximately $5-per-passenger hike is intended to cover not only more expensive fuel but also the costlier food and beverages served aboard the 600-seat vessel, said James Pledger, president of the Captain J.P. Cruise Line.
    “The fuel charge is not the biggest factor. It’s across the board,” said Pledger.
    Pledger did not increase ticket prices for the Captain J.P. last year, but in 2006 he adjusted prices by 4 percent. He is anticipating a 10 percent decline in passenger traffi c this year as many of his corporate customers look to trim costs by not holding traditional business meetings or employee outings aboard the vessel.
    Crude oil’s march above and beyond the psychological barrier of $100 per barrel is forcing many Americans and businesses to curb their driving habits. And the prospect of any shortterm relief at the pump is looking increasingly far-fetched.
    Although the price of crude tumbled last week close to the $100-per-barrel mark, it shot up this week, closing Thursday at $107.58. OPEC, which controls 70 percent of the world’s known oil reserves, has repeatedly brushed off Bush administration requests to increase oil production. The cartel has even discussed cutting production amid softening U.S. demand.
    Given oil’s supply outlook, the U.S. Energy Information Administration is projecting regular gasoline prices to peak this spring between $3.50 and $4 per gallon. Fearing those high prices, Gina Cuomo at Cuomo Country Pools in Duanesburg will limit repair and service work to a 30-mile radius.
    Along with cutting Troy from her pool service area, Cuomo is also considering increasing prices to cover higher fuel costs.
    “We’re trying to find ways to cut the cost so it doesn’t get passed on [to customers],” said Cuomo, a coowner of the pool sales, service and installation company.
    Cuomo said she might waive the fuel charge if customers allow her to select the day when crews come to work on pools. That arrangement would allow Cuomo to schedule multiple jobs within a general area and minimize driving.
    The higher cost of gas is also making Cuomo rethink her policy of offering free estimates on pool work. She may impose a fee to cover driver expenses, but that cost might be waived if a prospective customer contracts with Cuomo.
    At Wells Nursery in Niskayuna, President Jonathan Wells is increasing his delivery charge to about $3.50 per mile, up about 15 percent from a year ago. But he charges a flat rate for deliveries within five miles.
    “Other than having to do a lot of explaining to previous customers, I don’t know what to expect,” said Wells.
    Red Oak Landscaping in Guilderland introduced fuel surcharges to customers about four years ago. The landscaper this spring set its base fuel surcharge level at $3 per gallon, up from $2 last year.
    For mowing and other work, Red Oak will charge an additional 2 percent of the job’s total cost on days when gas costs at least $3.25 per gallon. At $3.50 per gallon, the fuel surcharge becomes 4 percent, said Red Oak Office Manager Richard Leininger.
    “We find that 99 percent of people are very understanding. They don’t like it, but what can they do?” Leininger said.

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Carter imposed energy plan, Reagan derailed it

    I’d like to clarify a point made in Eric Retzlaff’s March 23 letter, “Oil dependence driving U.S. foreign policy.” Mr. Retzlaff lamented that since the Arab oil embargo, the United States has not had an energy policy that addresses oil dependence. His statement is correct for many of the years after the 1973 embargo, except for the efforts at improving energy efficiency started in the Carter administration.
    As a member of energy committees of professional societies during those years, I can attest that serious effort was undertaken to reduce energy consumption, petroleum included. The record shows that reductions of energy used by U.S. industry were achieved. The effort continued till the onset of the Reagan administration, when the energy-effi - ciency programs were ended. Reagan administration representatives offered the justification that “the market will take care of energy consumption.”
    President Carter had the foresight, but lacked the political support necessary to sustain the energy-efficiency program. As a result, the United States has fallen decades behind other nations in addressing the oil dependence and energy efficiency issues. Hopefully, the next administration, together with Congress, will have the wisdom and will to undertake a comprehensive, sustainable energy policy.
    ROBERT J. RINGLEE
    Rotterdam

There is no energy plan......we move, we work, we breath etc etc.........it's just fodder for the sheeple.....meanwhile someone gets richer and richer......anyone have a candle mine is almost at the end.......

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Record gas prices not our fault, oil chiefs say
Congress presses industry on big profits, tax breaks
BY H. JOSEF HEBERT The Associated Press

    WASHINGTON — Don’t blame us, oil industry chiefs told a skeptical Congress.
    Top executives of the country’s five biggest oil companies said Tuesday they know record fuel prices are hurting people, but they argued it’s not their fault and their huge profits are in line with other industries.
    Appearing before a House committee, the executives were pressed to explain why they should continue to get billions of dollars in tax breaks when they made $123 billion last year and motorists are paying record gasoline
prices at the pump.
    “On April Fool’s Day, the biggest joke of all is being played on American families by Big Oil,” Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said, aiming his remarks at the five executives sit- ting shoulder-to-shoulder in a congressional hearing room.
    “Our earnings, although high in absolute terms, need to be viewed in the context of the scale and cyclical, long-term nature of our industry as well as the huge investment requirements,” said J.S. Simon, senior vice president of Exxon Mobil Corp., which made a record $40 billion last year.
    “We depend on high earnings during the up cycle to sustain . . . investment over the long term, including the down cycles,” he continued.
    The up cycle has been going on too long, suggested Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo. “The anger level is rising significantly.”
    Alluding to the fact that Congress often doesn’t rate very high in opinion polls, Cleaver told the executives: “Your approval rating is lower than ours, and that means you’re down low.”
    Several lawmakers noted the rising price of gasoline at the pump, now averaging $3.29 a gallon amid talk of $4 a gallon this summer.
    “I heard what you are hearing. Americans are very worried about the rising price of energy,” said John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Co., echoing remarks by the other four executives, including representatives of BP America Inc., Chevron Corp. and ConocoPhillips.
    While Democrats hammered the executives for their profi ts and demanded they do more to develop alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and biofuels, Republican lawmakers called for opening more areas for drilling to boost domestic production of oil and gas.
    Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, the committee’s ranking Republican, asked what would bring lower prices.
    “We need access to all kinds of energy supply,” replied Robert Malone, chairman of BP America, adding that 85 percent of the country’s coastal waters are off limits to drilling.
    But Markey wanted to know why the companies aren’t investing more in energy projects other than oil and gas — or giving up some tax breaks so the money could be directed to promote renewable fuels and conservation and take pressure off oil and gas supplies.
    “Why is Exxon Mobil resisting the renewable revolution?” asked Markey, noting that the other four companies together have invested $3.5 billion in solar, wind and biodiesel projects.
    Exxon is spending $100 million on research into climate change at Stanford University, replied Simon, but current alternative energy technologies “just do not have an appreciable impact” in addressing “the challenge we’re trying to meet.”
    The appearance Tuesday before the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming was not the first time that oil executives had faced the harsh words of a lawmakers frustrated over their inability to do anything about soaring oil and gasoline costs.
    In November 2005, executives of the same companies sought to explain high energy costs at a Senate hearing at which Hofmeister emphasized the cyclical nature of his industry. “What goes up almost always comes down,” he told the senators on a day when oil cost $60 a barrel.

Ms.Gillibrand wants the oil reserves tapped and other things----she didn't mention the NYS taxes on the gas.......this leaves room for the States to tax tax tax tax tax............that barrel is always being dipped into.......

It would be helpful if our government would just stop their tax and spend habits, and cut some government handout programs, abolish those appointed jobs to friends/family and then they could reduce the tax on gas that we pay now. Now that is how to start bringing the gas prices down. We are certainly NOT going to dictate our wants to the Saudis. It can and should start right in our own country with tax and spending cuts.

There you go again Bumble making sense again.

My gosh, what the heck happened this week?  Tuesday or Wednesday I drove past the former Augi's it was $3.32.  Thursday a friend said it was $3.35.  Friday i saw it was $3.42!  WHEW!

But Mobil is still leading. They have been over $3.40/gal for a couple of weeks now. And yet I still see people getting gas there. I guess like someone has posted here several times.....there's no cure for stupid.

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CAPITAL REGION
Area gas prices reach record high of $3.39
N.Y. adds more to cost in taxes than most states
BY JASON SUBIK Gazette Reporter

Reach Gazette reporter Jason Subik at 395-3198 or jsubik@dailygazette.net. Material from the Associated Press was included in this article.

    The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in the Capital Region tied the all-time local record Wednesday: $3.39.
    The last time gasoline was that expensive in the Capital Region was in September 2005, shortly after Hurricane Katrina.
    The price is up about 53 cents from last year and 8 cents from last month and is only 2 cents shy of the all-time highest national average price, adjusted for inflation, of $3.41 per gallon, set in March 1981, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
    The national average price of a gallon of gas rose 1.2 cents Wednesday to a record $3.34 a gallon, according to a survey of gas stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.
    The average price of gas in any region of New York state generally exceeds the average national price because New York places more taxes on gas than most other states.
    Tom Bergin, a spokesman for the state Department of Taxation and Finance, said 32.75 cents of the total cost of any gallon of gasoline sold in New York is collected as state taxes.
    Counties impose additional sales taxes of their own, and there are also federal taxes to pay. But the state gets the biggest share.
    Stewarts Shops Corp. gasoline manager Mike Bombard estimates that about 60 cents per gallon of gasoline tends to go to local, state and federal taxes, depending on the base cost of gas.
    “All of the taxes, unfortunately, do get passed on to the consumer, no doubt,” Bombard said.
    Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari, D-Cohoes, said the state tried to reduce costs for consumers in 2006 when it capped the state sales tax on gasoline at no more than 4 percent of $2 per gallon of gas, 8 cents, but the price has continued to increase.
    “I don’t believe we’re in position now, passing the budget for 2008-09, to reduce the gas taxes. The budget’s done. We will not revisit this until next year, and I think it unlikely that during the course of the year we will reduce gas taxes,” Canestrari said.
    With the peak summer driving season still to come, gas prices could reach the retail price of $4 a gallon, according to government forecasts.
    High prices, however, are hurting demand, which fell last week by nearly 2 percent from yearearlier levels, according to the EIA’s weekly inventory report.
    “People are cutting back on gasoline purchases because the economy is squeezing them right now,” said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Alaron Trading Corp. in Chicago.
    Analysts expect demand to fall further as prices rise. Theoretically, that should bring prices down. But so far this year, that hasn’t happened.
    With gasoline supplies shrinking and the summer approaching — when demand, while weaker than last year, will be stronger than it is now — consumers may have to wait until this fall for price relief.
    The EIA report, closely watched by the futures market, also said crude oil supplies fell by a surprising 3.2 million barrels last week; analysts surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had expected an increase of 2.4 million barrels on average.
    That sent light, sweet crude for May delivery up $2.37 to settle at a record $110.87 a barrel Wednesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange after earlier rising as high as $112.21. That beat a trading record of $111.80 set last month.
    Before the EIA issued its report, oil prices were already higher due to the dollar’s slide against the euro Wednesday.
    Many investors see commodities such as oil as an effective hedge against a falling dollar and inflation.
    Also, a weaker greenback makes oil cheaper to investors overseas.
    Analysts place much of the blame for oil’s rise to record prices well above $100 a barrel this year on speculative investors drawn to oil futures by the falling dollar.
    With the Federal Reserve expected to cut rates several more times this year, which will likely further weaken the dollar, oil prices may continue rising despite tepid demand.

Where is Ms.Gillian on this one????? yup, holding out her hand.......

I noticed Cumberland Farms gas is $3.41/gal.
Mobil at the 4 corners is $3.47.

My husband went to the Sunoco on Erie Blvd today and gas was $3.33/gal and he said it was packed.

I can't wait for summer to arrive the experts say gas could reach $4 a gallon.

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Test to show motorists how habits affect fuel use
BY DEEDEE CORRELL Los Angeles Times

    DENVER — Hundreds of drivers here will serve as guinea pigs in a test that’s part sociology experiment, part environmental advocacy and part Drivers Ed 101.
    It poses the question: When motorists see how their own aggressive driving burns gasoline, will they stop the tailgating, hard braking and speeding that increase their fuel consumption and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions?
    Sponsored by EnCana Oil & Gas Co., the pilot program aims to quantify the relationship between bad driving and gas emissions, as well as to convince drivers to change. Denver is the first test site.
    “People will modify their behavior,” said Larry Goldenhersh, president and chief executive officer of Enviance, a California-based company that developed the software technology for the program.
    “Frankly, the prospect of having this thing in my car has already modified my behavior,” he said.
    Four hundred people — 200 in the city fleet and 200 volunteers — will have accelerometers installed in their vehicles that record every time they slam on their brakes, accelerate or take a corner too quickly.
    Such behaviors decrease fuel effi - ciency by 20 percent, Goldenhersh said. The goal of the program is to reduce emissions from each participating vehicle by 20 percent.
    Once the devices are installed, participants can log onto a Web site and track how they’re doing. In addition, monitors will be installed on the cars so drivers can get real-time feedback, said David Armitage, chief executive officer of Denver-based Cartasite, which manufactured the accelerators.
    Rapid acceleration wastes fuel because it floods the engine with extra gas, causing the car to burn excess fuel. And, when a driver rides the brake unnecessarily, the energy that was used to get the car up to speed has been lost.
    “The slower we stop the car, the less energy we’re throwing away,” Armitage said.
    Losing less energy to starts and stops is one reason cars tend to get better mileage in highway driving than in-town driving.
    “You can’t change what you can’t measure,” Armitage said.
    If drivers don’t see the connection between their actions and the consequences, he said, “we’re not going to make a change.”
    When he started tracking his own driving, Armitage noticed he braked suddenly more often than he realized. That’s because he tended to glance at his Blackberry while he drove, a habit he’s since cut out.
    One volunteer is Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who offered to put his own Ford hybrid and driving skills to the test.
    “I lobbied for this. I thought it was such a great idea,” said Hickenlooper, who’s hopeful his own tracking device won’t reveal too many bad habits. “My mother made me take defensive driving back in high school. I’m from the old school.”
    Ultimately, such efforts might help reduce Denver’s carbon footprint, Goldenhersh said. Vehicles account for about 30 percent of Denver’s emissions.

Quoted from JoAnn

I noticed Cumberland Farms gas is $3.41/gal.
Mobil at the 4 corners is $3.47.

My husband went to the Sunoco on Erie Blvd today and gas was $3.33/gal and he said it was packed.

I hit the same station late Sunday night and was waiting behind 2 cars to use the pump I eventually got to.  I actaully noticed that one of the lowest prices around now seems to be the newly branded Mobil right on Broadway by I-890...and my car didn't even have fits when I filled up with it.