Gas Station Owner Ordered To Raise Prices

(AP)  A service station that offered discounted gas to senior citizens and people supporting youth sports has been ordered by the state to raise its prices.

Center City BP owner Raj Bhandari has been offering senior citizens a 2 cent per gallon price break and discount cards that let sports boosters pay 3 cents less per gallon.

But the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says those deals violate Wisconsin's Unfair Sales Act, which requires stations to sell gas for about 9.2 percent more than the wholesale price.

Bhandari said he received a letter from the state auditor last month saying the state would sue him if he did not raise his prices. The state could penalize him for each discounted gallon he sold, with the fine determined by a judge.

Bhandari, who bought the station a year ago, said he worries customers will think he stopped the discounts because he wants to make more money. About 10 percent of his customers had used the discount cards.

Dale Van Camp said he bought a $50 card to support the local youth hockey program. It would have saved him about $100 per year on gas, he said.

[popsecret25]

I thought that we lived in a free enterprise society, this law violates that premice. It should be up to the individual market owner to decied how much of a profit that he makes. I can see having caps on the price of gas to prevent gauging, but if an operator decides to discount the price to help out a local organisation or the elderly on fixed imcomes, he should have the right to do what he can to be more competitive.
I think he should be commended for what he is doing not penalized for doing something good for his fellow citizens. Maybe more operators should take a similar stand and not cave in to the rule of an unjust system. ( Or are the other operators of the area singling him out because he is middle eastern? ) just a thought.....

[klgw74]

Why is it OK for Wal-Mart, Ingles, and Kroger to discount gas and not this guy? We have got to stop allowing, nay requiring, our governments to control us. We the people are supposed to be governing ourselves. We have given them too much power.

[aretham]

don't buy gas on the 15th!!!....

[demssuck]

Big Oil works for themselves. If you think one political party or the other is the only one in their pocket, think again. ALL politicians are corrupt and if they aren't going in, congress (DEMS AND REPUBS, SOCIALISTS, LIBERTARIANS, etc.) will turn them rather quickly.

Start voting these idiots out of office and MAYBE you'll see a change. Don't hold your breath though, you'll turn blue.

[rushman71]

lastdance2: Eventhough I am a Republican supporter, I totally respect and agree with what you brought up. Those were true remarks about the labor unions. I regret voting for Bush in 2000, and to tell ya the truth, I DID vote for John Kerry in 2004.
The gas prices slowly trickled in an upward fashion the first few years of his presidency, then doubled around the beginning of his second term. If a Democrat wins, which I have no doubt will win, I hope the number one issue to focus on getting back in order is the gas prices down to $1.50 range or less. The price of oil per barrel no more than $20. Remember the good ol' days.

[aretham]

don't buy gas on the 15th!!!....

[edjohn66]

Let's not forget who the real enemy is: Big Oil and their supporters in D.C.

Wisconsin's law is designed to keep prices at the pump fair and equal.

Its not the owners of the individual gas stations that are getting rich off of $3/gal gas prices. Don't hate them, and don't hate the states that regulate them.

If we really want to hurt Big Oil, then buy smaller cars and move closer to work! Boycotting Wisconsin (whatever that means) won't do anything to solve the problem.

[tomster1960]

I guess I will mark Wisconsin off of my summer vacation tour. It looks like their state government is shooting theirself in the foot.

[merrillscks]

I live in Merrill and I wanted to take the time to tell Mr. Bhandari keep up what your good work. It is not you it is the city and state that you live in, they are flawed. I think his program was a great idea. But if memory serves it was going on long before he owned his gas station. Why is the state having a problem with this now? Is someone in the local community forcing this to be an issue by reporting this to the state? I hate to say it, I feel there is something is rotten in Merrill!

[merrillscks]

I live in Merrill and I wanted to take the time to tell Mr. Bhandari keep up what your good work. It is not you it is the city and state that you live in, they are flawed. I think his program was a great idea. But if memory serves it was going on long before he owned his gas station. Why is the state having a problem with this now? Is someone in the local community forcing this to be an issue by reporting this to the state? I hate to say it, I feel there is something is rotten in Merrill!