GAS PRICES ON ST. THOMAS CONTINUE TO DROP WHILE ST. CROIX STAYS STEADY AT $3.39

Eastway Gas Station (by Pickled Greek) $3.29

Queen Bee Gas Station, located across from K-Mart west and adjacent to Subway, on STX advertised it was offering reg gas @ $2.99 & prem gas @ $3.49
All day today only!!!
(no I am not employed there, Queen Bee posted this on Facebook - so I wanted others to take advantage)

Get it while you can!

I don't understand this "ripping y'all off" mentality. We live in a capitalist society where business owners and anyone else is entitled to make as much profit as they can in a legal enterprise or transaction. There is no jurisdiction under the US flag where there are controls or caps on the profit that can be made selling gas or anything else for that matter.

There are many businesses that make far higher margins than gas stations...like jewelry stores for instance. Should we cap the amount of profit they can make? Should we limit the amount of profit an individual should be able to make selling his/her own possessions? Where should we draw the line.

If Vialet thinks there is collusion in the gas retailing market, he should take them to court and prove it. However, the reality is that many jurisdictions have taken this route and failed. And so will Vialet.

I have to buy gas just like everyone else, but as a business owner, I will always reject any effort to cap the amount of profit a business can make even if it cost me a bit more personally.

If you enjoy paying 40¢ per gallon more than you should have to, then have at it but you should ask why STT stations can afford to sell gas at $2.99 per gallon and still make a profit.

I don't know how anybody can determine if someone is paying more "than they have to." For years gas was cheaper on St Croix, and now that they don't have Hovensa,

If he or anyone tries to cap the price of gas, a black market will probably develop, which will increase more criminal activity.

If you enjoy paying 40¢ per gallon more than you should have to, then have at it but you should ask why STT stations can afford to sell gas at $2.99 per gallon and still make a profit.

It's not for me nor the government to say what the profit margin should be on selling gas or anything else. Its up to the market to determine that.

Should there be a cap on real estate commissions or the amount of profit one should make selling one's home?

I don't know how anybody can determine if someone is paying more "than they have to." For years gas was cheaper on St Croix, and now that they don't have Hovensa,

Up until a few years ago, gas stations were routinely charging 50 cents per gallon above wholesale, and gas stations adjusted their prices whenever the wholesale price changed. Now they routinely charge $1+ over wholesale, and they adjust their prices only when DLCA gets agitated. Nobody smells a rat?

If he or anyone tries to cap the price of gas, a black market will probably develop, which will increase more criminal activity.

Black markets generally don't develop because the official price is too cheap. They usually develop because the commodity is too expensive or scarce.

Should there be a cap on real estate commissions or the amount of profit one should make selling one's home?

I believe there IS a cap on real estate commissions.

Selling one's home takes place in a free market, where there are no monopolies or price fixing.

When there is price fixing across the board, as there is on STX right now, the market is not determining anything.

I do smell a rat!

And one more thing, how can we find out what WAPA has been doing with the extra 7 cents we have been paying for every gallon of gas - on top of the 7 cents already being charged - for the last 3 years?

new gas tax daily news story

"Up until a few years ago, gas stations were routinely charging 50 cents per gallon above wholesale, and gas stations adjusted their prices whenever the wholesale price changed. Now they routinely charge $1+ over wholesale, and they adjust their prices only when DLCA gets agitated. Nobody smells a rat?"
(tu)

I'm all for free enterprise as long as it's fair.
Gas stations and grocery stores here in the islands have very high markups that are well over and above the costs of doing business and profit greatly at the consumers expense.

Have you noticed that while electrical bills have gone down the cost of groceries continue to climb?

I was shocked at how much fresh produce I could get for $30 in a FL supermarket. Went to pick up a couple steaks the other day at CUL and the price has gone from $10.99 per lb. to $16.99 per lb. In a year's time, prices have gone up considerably. One week recently CUL had paper towels for $27.00 when we used to pay $13.99.

K-Mart still had that price when I was there last and CUL came back down to $17-$18.

An ear of very fresh corn cost 10¢ in a FL supermarket, while here, you'll be lucky to get a brown, dried out, ear of corn on sale for 50¢ when the usual is closer to $1 each ear.

Should there be a cap on real estate commissions or the amount of profit one should make selling one's home?

I believe there IS a cap on real estate commissions.

Untrue IslandJoan...real estate commissions are self regulated by the industry and their associations NOT government. But agents and brokers are free to charge whatever they want, usually less than the standard 6% but 8% is not unheard of in some types of transactions.

Prices are often capped or limited on essential products. Where I last lived there were limits on electricity, natural gas, insurance, some medical supplies and services, banking fees, and even milk. This is to protect the consumer where there are no, or very limited, choices. They were all tied to related cost changes or consumer prices. Since there is no reliable public transportation on St Croix, I'd say gasoline is a necessity, and there should be oversight.

Capitalism is great. Unfettered capitalism that harms the consumer, not so much.

I'm all for free enterprise as long as it's fair.
Gas stations and grocery stores here in the islands have very high markups that are well over and above the costs of doing business and profit greatly at the consumers expense.

So do jewelry stores and many other types of business.

If you're going to have government imposed caps on profit margins, its has to be applied to every business.

Perhaps we should check with Venezuela to see how best to implement this.

Untrue IslandJoan...real estate commissions are self regulated by the industry and their associations NOT government. But agents and brokers are free to charge whatever they want, usually less than the standard 6% but 8% is not unheard of in some types of transactions.

vicanuck,
I could not remember who did the regulation. Although realtors are free to charge whatever they want, I do not believe we have seen them double their commissions, or even raise them, because the industry does not allow it.

A few weeks ago, I got a gallon of regular gas for $2.89 at Racetrack in Sugar Estate, Stt. Cheapest I've seen in a while.

Now they've been keeping it at $ 2.99 for regular.

I'm all for free enterprise as long as it's fair.
Gas stations and grocery stores here in the islands have very high markups that are well over and above the costs of doing business and profit greatly at the consumers expense.

So do jewelry stores and many other types of business.

If you're going to have government imposed caps on profit margins, its has to be applied to every business.

Perhaps we should check with Venezuela to see how best to implement this.

The difference is that I don't need jewelry (at least my husband says I don't). I do need basic food staples and, because my knees don't allow me to ride a bicycle, gasoline.

The difference is that I don't need jewelry (at least my husband says I don't). I do need basic food staples and, because my knees don't allow me to ride a bicycle, gasoline.

I understand completely and I'm a consumer too. I guess I'm just opposed to giving the GVI any more opportunities to screw things up worse than they are now. The entity that is profiting the most from gas prices IS the GVI. So, isn't like putting the fox in charge of the hen house?

The entity that is profiting the most from gas prices IS the GVI.

Aren't the gas station owners profiting the most? GVI only gets a small percentage of that.

The difference is that I don't need jewelry (at least my husband says I don't). I do need basic food staples and, because my knees don't allow me to ride a bicycle, gasoline.

I understand completely and I'm a consumer too. I guess I'm just opposed to giving the GVI any more opportunities to screw things up worse than they are now. The entity that is profiting the most from gas prices IS the GVI. So, isn't like putting the fox in charge of the hen house?

Well, ya got me there. While my guess is that the owners are making the most off of the high prices, I forgot who'd be doing the capping. Chances are good they would screw it up.

Ziggy's...out east.....$3.14....regular....for about a week,now...

Thats the best price. And for it being out east.

Maybe they figure all the east enders will stop going west for gas if they lower the prices.....

$3.19 (almost everywhere). Of course, I filled up on Sunday. :{

true stxsailor

just read all our station prices miraculously were lowered to 3.19