Increasing gas prices raise many questions

Some numbers to think about — $2.73, $2.75, $2.90, $2.96 — no, not the numbers to the "meaning of life, although quite a few might call them the numbers to the "meaning of existence."

They represent the range in fuel prices between Hayden and Sandpoint. Now, don't anyone take me wrong. I believe every business is entitled to a fair profit, otherwise most businesses wouldn't be able to survive. After all, isn't that what "business" is about? Except, I guess, when you're talking about "funny business." I'm a relative newcomer to these here parts, having moved from Australia in 1999 to settle here in Sandpoint. Thankfully, my wife landed herself a good job at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane just over a year ago and we decided to split the commute evenly between us. Now the distance I commute daily to Sandpoint is almost the same as hers to Spokane.

With the increasing fuel prices this move has proven a godsend. But it has also proven to highlight to great disparity in pump prices between the two endpoints of my travels.

Ever the good listener, I've heard talk over my short years here of the possibility of "fuel price fixing" being conducted by the petrol boys in Sandpoint; that a few enquiries have ensued but nothing definitive found to incriminate anyone or any business. Hmmmm, maybe someone should look into the question again, or am I unaware of high county fuel taxes, or excessive fuel import costs into Sandpoint from points outside our U.S. borders?

I'm just curious about the whole issue, especially now that we're all suffering from "long arms and short pockets" when it comes to paying to keep our cars on the roads. I hereby officially invite all of you who live in the Sandpoint area to come fill up in Hayden. Hey, here's an idea. Why don't y'all just do that, and boycott the petrol guys in Sandpoint. Then they might get the message from the people on the bottom of the totem pole.

GREG SMITH

Sandpoint