You cannot read my article off of the poor quality pic, so if you are intrigued you may read on. Some of the article was changed slightly but it appears as I would have liked it below.
Darrin Jaggi winced as he screwed the gas cap back on his car at the Laie Chevron. It was not the stare of the hot Hawaiian sun that caused it. It was the sight of this total cost for a full tank.
Jaggi, a senior majoring in information systems, has noticed the price of gasoline going up steadily since he came here from Washington state three years ago. He is not the only one who has notice the price of gas skyrocketing.
Four weeks ago Hawaii’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) embarked on the states first price cap of wholesale gasoline prices. According to the Honolulu Star Bulletin, three markets, Los Angeles, New York, and the U.S. Gulf coast are used as guidelines for the weekly price.
The first week saw a maximum price of $2.16 per gallon for regular on Oahu. Since the disaster of hurricane Katrina in the U.S. Gulf, the price cap has raised more than 60 cents per gallon.
Many have been disappointed that the cap has not brought the price of gasoline down – those that knew about it.
Ninety percent of BYU-Hawaii students who were asked about this new price cap were surprised by the news. "I have yet to notice any change…except the prices keep getting higher," exclaimed Carolyn Pack, a senior from Utah majoring in accounting.
Rose Tafua, an employee at Laie’s Chevron, said, "This is getting ridiculous. People are bringing those big red gas cans and filling up – over $100 at a time."
When asked if she noticed whether or not this behavior was due to the gas cap, she stated; "Absolutely. This cap has only raised the price. It’s hurting everybody. Even people like me that work here can’t afford gas anymore. They shouldn’t have messed with the price."
BYU-H students are deciding not to travel around the island as much due to the pinch at the pump. "I don’t go to Costco as often," admits Jaggi. "It has become a lot cheaper to shop locally rather than going to town where the prices are lower." Tafua at Chevron expressed the same thought.
The price of gasoline does not only affect the students with cars. Students like Jaggi, feel that they cannot afford to be as generous as they used to be. "I used to not have any problems taking people to town out of the goodness of my heart for free. But now I have to insist on compensation for gas."
The price for The Bus has not been raised in more than a year despite the rise in gas prices. Glen Moir, a transportation planner for the city of Honolulu, told the Ke Alaka’i that a rise in the price of gas was not in the near future. "If there is a change there would have to be hearing and the whole bit. Even if it’s likely, it won’t happen very fast. It’s not something that will happen next week."
Moir did, however, admit that it is possible in coming months.
Darren Jaggi is just one of the nearly two million people in Hawaii who eagerly await a gas bill that does not steadily climb every week. "If it keeps going up I’m just going to have to use my car less and less. I can hardly afford to pay for gas as it is."
3 comments:
So, it's what, around $2.76/gallon now? Sadly, that's right around what I'm paying (depending on the day of the week really). It sucks.
And we're complaining about $AU 1.40 a litre in Oz... I suddenly feel like an ungrateful cow.
Jared, thank you for making me famous. Since your article came out, it has been non-alcoholic wine, women, and song everyday. I now have people offering to give me rides places and I've put my car in mothballs. You are the best!
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