The State of NJ charges mercants with gouging for $5.50 gas after Sandy

[Anarchist420]

Link

Is this just? It's not in my opinion, because of supply and demand issues. $5.50 was kind of generous considering the facts.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Yes, it's supply and demand. And it's also gouging.

I have a problem with gouging laws in that they reduce the supply of important commodities when they are needed. But it's hard to argue in favor of jacking up prices on something that was already there when the crisis happened.

 

[Demo24]

I had a sliver of hope coming in here you might side with nj here, but of course that was a very long shot. I can not fathom a single reason you could legitimately side with a business that is taking advantage of people in need for their own benefit and profit.

 

[PottedMeat]

i could understand someone coming in from somewhere else and gouging the locals, but these are locals screwing over other local people. 'heh you may get my money today, but i'll never come here again'

 

[Anarchist420]

I can not fathom a single reason you could legitimately side with a business that is taking advantage of people in need for their own benefit and profit.

That would not be seeing the whole picture. Would you rather pay $10/gal and have a one minute wait or would you rather pay the normal price and wait 10 hours?

Depending upon your car, how you drive and other factors, a full tank of gas can go a long way.

Also, don't forget that the State of NJ gets revenue from gas sales without full consent of the people paying it while those who were "gouged" had other options or at least weren't forced to pay something they may not have wanted to under threat of violence being committed against them.

Anyway, the aforementioned is still just part of the whole.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

That would not be seeing the whole picture. Would you rather pay $10/gal and have a one minute wait or would you rather pay the normal price and wait 10 hours?

What does that have to do with a store owner who already has gas in his storage tank and jacks the price up?

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Are you sure the gas he was selling was already in his storage tanks or had already purchased gas at a higher price from a local distributor?

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Are you sure the gas he was selling was already in his storage tanks or had already purchased gas at a higher price from a local distributor?

The law provides an exception for that. These businesses are alleged not to have had higher costs themselves. Of course we don't know all the details.

 

[3chordcharlie]

That would not be seeing the whole picture. Would you rather pay $10/gal and have a one minute wait or would you rather pay the normal price and wait 10 hours?

Depending upon your car, how you drive and other factors, a full tank of gas can go a long way.

Also, don't forget that the State of NJ gets revenue from gas sales without full consent of the people paying it while those who were "gouged" had other options or at least weren't forced to pay something they may not have wanted to under threat of violence being committed against them.

Anyway, the aforementioned is still just part of the whole.

So implement rationing, and if this increases your costs (i.e. having smaller transactions), then increase price slightly to compensate.

Jacking your price by 50% for no reason other than a captive market is insane. As has been pointed out, it's probably also bad business. People have long memories for being screwed.

 

[techs]

If there is a law that prevents this then they should face penalties.

If not then its time to get rid of Chris Christie.

Wait, wot?

 

[Chris A]

I remember reading a story during Katrina of a man in Arizona renting a trailer and buying up a bunch of generators then drive ing down there and selling them at twice the cost. He was arrested after selling about half.

I read the link in the first post. Seems these stores should have known the law before jacking up prices.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

I had a sliver of hope coming in here you might side with nj here, but of course that was a very long shot. I can not fathom a single reason you could legitimately side with a business that is taking advantage of people in need for their own benefit and profit.

Here's a few reasons:

1. The ability to charge premium prices during power outages encourages gas station owners to invest in backup generators for future events.

2. The high prices would reduce lines and wait times for those you do get gas.

3. In times when gas is scare, it is reasonable to allocate the gas by willingness to pay.

4. Restrictions on gas stations charging a fair market price created a black market for gas in the tri-state area. This has many negative consequences for public safety.

5. Higher prices would have encouraged truckers and oil companies to bring more gas into the area from further away

 

[techs]

Here's a few reasons:

1. The ability to charge premium prices during power outages encourages gas station owners to invest in backup generators for future events.

2. The high prices would reduce lines and wait times for those you do get gas.

3. In times when gas is scare, it is reasonable to allocate the gas by willingness to pay.

4. Restrictions on gas stations charging a fair market price created a black market for gas in the tri-state area. This has many negative consequences for public safety.

5. Higher prices would have encouraged truckers and oil companies to bring more gas into the area from further away

If you have a problem take it up with Chris Christie.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

If you have a problem take it up with Chris Christie.

Christie is bound to enforce whatever laws are on the books.

 

[techs]

If you have a problem take it up with Chris Christie.

Christie is bound to enforce whatever laws are on the books.

But I haven't heard him say anything about it.
He does seem to have made himself the chief of the recovery. He seems to be doing a good job of it, btw.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

But I haven't heard him say anything about it.
He does seem to have made himself the chief of the recovery. He seems to be doing a good job of it, btw.

Why does Christie need to say anything, his State AG is in charge of ensuring laws are enforced.

The very first sentence in the link provided:

New Jersey has filed lawsuits against eight businesses for allegedly gouging customers with exorbitant prices in the days after Superstorm Sandy roared ashore, the state's attorney general said Friday.

Are you really this dense?

 

[sigurros81]

Link

Is this just? It's not in my opinion, because of supply and demand issues. $5.50 was kind of generous considering the facts.

Another example of the government putting the clamps on small businesses. Fuck you Obama, as a small business owner, I can jack up my prices whenever I want, I don't need the government telling me how to run my business.

 

[Throckmorton]

Since when is the free market illegal?

 

[techs]

I guess in a Republican country hospitals should charge whatever they can get for medicine during an epidemic.
Supply and demand ftw!

Heck, I should have bought up all the coffins in advance of Sandy.

 

[DrPizza]

Are you sure the gas he was selling was already in his storage tanks or had already purchased gas at a higher price from a local distributor?

If the owners costs have increased, the owner is allowed to increase his prices to compensate.

Also, the owner is allowed to increase his prices (if I recall correctly for NJ) by 10% after a state of emergency is declared. (In case some of you idiots didn't notice, a state of emergency had been declared for NJ.)

Yes, it's supply and demand. And it's also gouging.

I have a problem with gouging laws in that they reduce the supply of important commodities when they are needed.

I disagree that it reduces supply, unless you suspect that people would horde the gasoline if sold at pre-storm prices? Supply had already been decreased through stations being closed. Demand exceeded supply. People are simply going to buy it until it's gone.

 

[sigurros81]

Since when is the free market illegal?

I know right! All I want to do is make a little extra money off of the need of my fellow citizens in the time of crisis, is that so fucking bad? If they're willing to pay high prices, why should I stop them! Fuck the libs and their moral platitudes!

 

[DrPizza]

Heyyyyyy, I have an idea (for the gas station owners) - During the year, when possible, keep a cone up in front of one pump - reserve it for people willing to pay $50 to cut to the front of the line. This seems allowed at theme parks; why not gas stations. Then, instead of waiting in line for 45 minutes for gas, people can pay $50 and cut to the front of the line. No gouging involved.

Does that idea pass the written rule of law??

 

[Fanatical Meat]

WHAT OUTRAGEOUS Government is cracking down on small business job creators!
We all know using a crisis to make extra money is wrong. What would someone say if a Doctor did this to someone who was in critical condition.

 

[DrPizza]

Another example of the government putting the clamps on small businesses. Fuck you Obama, as a small business owner, I can jack up my prices whenever I want, I don't need the government telling me how to run my business.

You're forgetting the other half. You were allowed to set up a business in the first place. At that time, you agreed to abide by the rules and regulations affecting your business. Don't like that? Then go open your business some place else instead where they don't have such rules. How about, oh, Somalia? Don't even try to pretend that you don't think there should be some rules controlling businesses. You'd certainly mind if someone purchased your neighbor's house, tore it down, and opened up some sort of very loud business with a lot of traffic.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

Either complain about gouging, or complain about shortages. Not both.