I'm shocked especially since the Politician that did this is a Republican.
Hopefully this takes off Country wide.
7-19-2014
http://news.yahoo.com/kentucky-town-opens-filling-station-public-150442278.html
Kentucky town opens filling station to the public
The Somerset Fuel Center opened to the public selling regular unleaded  gas for $3.36 a gallon, a bit lower than some nearby competitors. In the  first three hours, about 75 customers fueled up at the no-frills  stations, where there are no snacks, no repairs and only regular  unleaded gas.
The mayor says the station was created in response to years of grumbling  by townspeople about stubbornly high gas prices in Somerset, a city of  about 11,000 near Lake Cumberland, a popular fishing and boating haven.
"I'm tickled to death that  they're trying to do something," Ed Bullock said as he filled up his  car. "I'm glad they made the investment."
The  venture unnerved local filling station and convenience store operators  suddenly competing with the city in this Republican stronghold. Critics  said the government has no business imposing itself into the private  sector, and one store owner branded it as socialism.
Mayor Eddie Girdler, however, is standing firm behind the idea of the city-run station.
Girdler, a Republican in his second term, said the city isn't looking to put anyone out of business.
"We don't care if we don't sell a drop of gasoline," he said. "Our objective is to lower the price."
"We are one community that decided we've got backbone and we're not  going to allow the oil companies to dictate to us what we can and cannot  do," Girdler said. "We're going to start out small. Where it goes from  here we really don't know."
The amount charged motorists will be based on an average regional price  for gas, and will include a small markup to cover costs, the mayor said.  The city isn't out to make a profit, he said. Instead, the goal is to  lower gas prices and lure more lake visitors into Somerset, he said.
George Wilson, the town's economic development business coordinator,  said gas prices in Somerset are often 20 to 30 cents a gallon higher  than in neighboring towns. Many lake visitors fuel up elsewhere, costing  Somerset millions of dollars in retail sales, Girdler said.
Dan Gilligan, president of the Petroleum Marketers Association of  America, said a staff attorney involved in the industry since 1973 could  not recall another city getting into the retail gas business. The  National League of Cities said it was unaware of another U.S. city with  such a venture.
The city is purchasing gas from a  hometown supplier, Continental Refining Co. The city purchased a fuel  storage facility for $200,000 a few years ago. Now, up to 60,000 gallons  of regular unleaded gas can be stored there for the retail business.
The  city spent less than $75,000 to convert the fueling center into a  retail operation, the mayor said. Much of the investment went to upgrade  pumps and add computer software to handle credit card purchases.