Kaplowitz: End zone pricing for gas, save money
Westchester County Legislator Michael Kaplowitz today called for an end to the zone pricing of gas, a move he said that could save drivers 15 cents per gallon. Kaplowitz, a Democrat, is running to represent the 40th state Senate District. He faces challenges from Somers Supervisor Mary Beth Murphy and Assemblyman Greg Ball, both Republicans.
Read his whole announcement after the break.
Mike Kaplowitz Proposes Major ‘Tax Break
Kaplowitz takes on Big Oil, says stronger ban on zone gasoline pricing could create a $1.3 billion “tax break” for New Yorkers.
At a news conference today at 12:30 at the Shell Station in Bedford on the corner of Rt. 22 and Rt. 172, State Senate candidate Mike Kaplowitz called for new laws to strengthen the state’s newly enacted but ineffective ban on zone pricing.
Statement by Mike Kaplowitz:
“Beginning in 2003, I strongly pushed for a state ban on “Zone Pricing” – the practice by big oil companies of charging different wholesale prices to retail stations for the same gasoline based on location. Under zone pricing, price is not based on the cost of the commodity itself nor based on laws of supply and demand. Instead, the marketplace is grossly manipulated by big oil.
In fall of 2008, we succeeded in getting the legislature to enact a law intended to end zone pricing of gasoline to wholesalers. Unfortunately, the new law has had only limited effect, and zone pricing remains widespread in New York State. This is primarily because gas stations are supplied not only by wholesalers but also directly by producers and refiners.
Fixing the zone pricing ban will create a “tax cut” of approximately $1.3 billion for New Yorkers. Saving money on gas puts money in people’s pockets in the same way as a tax reduction. According to the New York State Association of Service Stations and Repair Shops, an effective zone pricing ban will save approximately $135 for the average car. There are 10 million cars on the road in New York. Each would save an average of 5% per year on gas purchases.
As a state senator, I will push for a new law to outlaw zone pricing at all levels of gasoline supply, not just wholesalers, and to give all gas stations the right to buy gas from any available supplier.
Presently, gasoline dealers almost always have franchise agreements stipulating that they must purchase products from a single supplier. Under these agreements, dealers cannot shop for a cheaper supply of gasoline. I want to change that. I want to prevent the setting of prices based upon the wealth or immobility of communities.”
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FINALLY, a candidate trying to save taxpayers money. Mr. Kaplowitz tells us how he will save us (i.e. Taxpayers) money, instead of his grandstanding opponents.
Kaplowitz is running for State Senate in a conservative district and now cares about lowering taxes after spending 13 years as County Legislator voting for higher property taxes, higher sales taxes, more spending, the housing settlement etc. Seems more than a bit disingenuous.
You got THAT right, Robin Murphy!
I don’t have a problem with ending zone pricing per se, but he assumes that this will cause the wholesale price to fall to the lowest level, when we all know this isn’t true. Some will come up and some will come down. In reality, the less wealthy neighborhoods will probably see an increase. This might just end up hurting the people he claims to want to help.
The part about allowing a gas station to buy gas from whoever they please is ridiculous. In most stations the supplier has a large investment in the station, signage, advertising etc. and to then allow the station to buy gas from anybody is ridiculous. When you go to a Shell station, don’t you want to know that you’re getting Shell gas?
you are missing the point..if ball loses murphy is still
on the conservative line..kaplowitz wins
NO MATTER WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THE PRIMARY, can not vote for Ball no matter what. We have four wasted years of nothing. Do not want that anymore.
Neither have the support that Greg Ball has, and that’s just the way it is.
Ball 2-1 in both contests.
A law that is not enforced, and cannot be enforced w/out adding county personnel. More then likely it was a law created by Kaplowitz to create just such a postion for either someone he knows or at the time it was created, it might have been a position in the Andy Spano regime. I hope someone asks him how much he saved. The man is another typical quintessential politican. I could go on ad nauseum about another politician looking to further his own career, and if he does, it’s going to be at a great expense to the taxpayers!!!
Why wouldn’t he suggest a law to regulate gas prices in NYS, but that would make too much sense!!! Is that his claim to fame for serving 12 years as a County Legisltor? Did it take him 12 years to figure out what the people want and what’s in the best interest of the taxpayers? How long would it take him if he’s elected to the Senate?
Its funny but after all these years of raising taxes
and increasing spending and making it harder then ever
for homeowners, now all of a sudden Mr. Kaplowitz wants
to save us tax payers money by creating a stronger ban
on ” Zoning Pricing ” It could have anything to do with
getting more votes now could it? What these politicians
will do to get elected is just increditable.
Now Murphy for the first time in 12 years reduced spend-
ing this year in one area and raised it back up in another.
Why are these politicians all of a sudden coming out of the
wood works to paint a picture of themselves as if they were
the answer to all the problems in Albany, when they could’nt
even fix the many problems right here in westchester county
or in Putnam County? What have any of them done for the people over all those years in office? What has Greg Ball done? The answer is very simple, NOTHING…..!!!!!!
Hey Dennis, this IS a law that “regulates gas prices in NYS”. Also, Kaplowitz proposed this law when he ran for State Senate in 2006. Look at the candidates and tell me who has more accomplishments for the taxpayers of Westchester County then Mike Kaplowitz. Easy answer NONE!! Ball has spent 4 years in Albany doing nothing, other than groping waitresses and voting for the largest tax increase in NYS history. Murphy has raised taxes without providing anything in Somers, like paved/safe roads and a pool.
I happen to know for a fact that Greg Ball is a “birther” who believes, or at least publicly stated in my presence, that there’s no Obama birth certificate. Now if you think for a second that the RNC or better yet, the Clintons, didn’t spend at least a million dollars to find out if there was any truth to that rumor that he wasn’t a citizen, you have to be delusional, as Greg Ball certainly is.