Legislators want to know why Alaska gasoline is so expensive

Wed, December 31, 2008
Posted in Alaska News, Top Stories

Alaska gas prices remain the highest in the nation, and some legislators say they want to do something about it. A legislative research report commissioned by Anchorage Democrat Les Gara shows Alaska refineries spend about twice as much as outside refineries to take a gallon of gasoline to the retail market.

Rosemarie Alexander, KTOO – Juneau

Download Audio

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Comments

mdea

The profits from the oil companies are big because the oil companies are BIG. if I make a penny a million times its a bunch of money. The oil companies handle enough product that insures they will make a pocket full of loot,get over it. That doesn't solve anything. in the seventies the government in its wisdumd initiated a lot of policies issued from an "energy Czar"..no oil was to be sold above the average price per barrel. Oil was well-head priced,some was cheap because it wes easy to get,some was expensive because it wes hard to pump,when the price of oil was frozen all oil above the average became unprofitable to pump=capped wells.
inchirieri masini
tim

I was traveling outside for New Years and filled up my rental car in Corpus Cristi, TX for $1.29/gal last week.
mikey372002

you dont think the oil industry only owns just a handful of politians that ended up in jail, No they own more then the people of alaska might think, it takes a lot of grunts to wheel and deal for the oil companies, thats why they have to price fix a gallon of fuel here in alaska. makes you think.
bandersenz

shame on the judges....politicians....? How about us? We are the ones who are stupid and take their money each year in the form of PFD...yes, EVERYONE can be bought. Don't take the pfd if you're gonna complain and call names.
Mrs. Andersen

Ditto.....but we are supposed to be "appeased" by that huge PFD we got in 2008. Something goin' here...a little plan, maybe...let's see, give 'em a huge pfd and then when the planned slam comes, we don't drop our prices because Alaskans won't complain because we've bought them out...so you see, it's not just the politicians who can be bought....IT'S US!!!!!!!!!!
Bun

Many folks have for three years been struggeling, it is just very much worse now, high fuel prices. The PFD suppliment only appeased the credit hounds because they are allowed to garnish even all the PFD.
D D

di d you know it costs $1.40 a gallon to ship a gallon of gas 60 miles past Juneau? Yes, thats right $3.99 in Haines! Why? Just what the market will bear......... Good to know were looking out for each other here.
HJ

it's about time someone in the legislator woke up .
james

Alaska papers sent by Washington legislators claimed the extra cost would cover any suits due the valdez settlements, dated June 22, 2007.
kwetcipenes

G R E E D
Joey Garcia

I tried to tell friends in the State of Washington, California, Texas, Nevada why Alaska gasoline prices are the highest in the nation.
Is the Governor Palin not taking steps to help Alaskans when the rest of the lower 49 State Governors are implementing lower prices?
What can the Legislature do so that our plight in the present exhorbitant gasoline prices can be legitimately be at par to the rest of the 49 States?
Robert

Our Governor is not responsible for the gas prices, learn english,it cost more to refine here in our state than in the lower 48 plus gasoline has to be barged or flown to the villages and coastal areas. Even if she tried our state would still have to supplement the price some how. which of course would increase the state budget and cost our state more. already illigal immigrants are costing our states billions in health,wealfare,incarceration,and relocation.
John

The FBI hasn't managed to work their way through our crooked judges and infamous politicians yet. If you line the right pockets in Alaska you can even force people to pay an increase for natural gas when prices are falling world wide. Shame on Alaska's politicians. Shame on Alaska's judges. Gas gouging was created on their watch because these less than honorable men and women have profited from it.