Are locals paying a gas premium?





Why are local residents of Agoura, Westlake Village and Calabasas paying more for gas than residents of all surrounding communities?

On June 18 we checked gasoline prices in the aforementioned cities and found them to be 25 to 30 cents per gallon higher than those found in Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, West Hills, Woodland Hills and Canoga Park. For example, the Mobil station on Reyes Adobe and Hwy. 101 in Agoura was selling premium at $3.67 per gallon. Similar national “high quality” stations in the surrounding towns were selling premium at an average of $3.32, and some as low as $3.25 (corner of Topanga Canyon and Vanowen, corner of Moorpark and Janss roads).

The stations surveyed were in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties- the cheapest was in the former. Taxes did not seem to play a role in the differential and neither did the price of real estate as witness the cheapest gas found. It appears as if our local residents are victims of the “ability to pay” approach to marketing. This selective approach is just another form of price gouging and deprives us of equal opportunity and protection. It is discrimination in the most offensive manner- class distinction in reverse.

Now we have to wonder and speculate if we are paying more for the same groceries at Vons and Ralph’s as residents of the West Valley, for example. Let’s inform our local elected officials of the pricing discrepancies and demand that some action be taken by them to protect our citizens for these unethical and possibly illegal policies. Nicolas Liakas Agoura Hills


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