Author Topic: Kentucky town opens filling station to the public  (Read 685 times)

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Offline flowers

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Kentucky town opens filling station to the public
« on: July 27, 2014, 04:51:35 pm »
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/07/23/kentucky-town-opens-filling-station-to-public/?intcmp=features

Quote
Somerset's city hall ventured into the retail gas business Saturday, opening a municipal-run filling station that supporters call a benefit for motorists and critics denounce as a taxpayer-supported swipe at the free market.

The Somerset Fuel Center opened to the public selling regular unleaded gas for $3.36 a gallon, a bit lower than some nearby competitors. In the first three hours, about 75 customers fueled up at the no-frills stations, where there are no snacks, no repairs and only regular unleaded gas.

The mayor says the station was created in response to years of grumbling by townspeople about stubbornly high gas prices in Somerset, a city of about 11,000 near Lake Cumberland, a popular fishing and boating haven.

The venture got a thumbs-up from customers who let their vehicles reach near-empty in anticipation of the city-run station's opening.

"I'm tickled to death that they're trying to do something," Ed Bullock said as he filled up his car. "I'm glad they made the investment."

The venture unnerved local filling station and convenience store operators suddenly competing with the city in this Republican stronghold. Critics said the government has no business imposing itself into the private sector, and one store owner branded it as socialism.

Mayor Eddie Girdler, however, is standing firm behind the idea of the city-run station. The canopied station on the outskirts of this southern Kentucky town was converted from use by government vehicles into one that can also cater to anyone looking to fill their tanks.

"We are one community that decided we've got backbone and we're not going to allow the oil companies to dictate to us what we can and cannot do," Girdler said. "We're going to start out small. Where it goes from here we really don't know."


Offline kevindavis007

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Re: Kentucky town opens filling station to the public
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2014, 05:11:02 pm »
Why do I have a feeling there is going to be problems with this?
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Offline truth_seeker

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Re: Kentucky town opens filling station to the public
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2014, 05:16:08 pm »
Government ownership of the factors of production, is part of the definition of communism.

"God must love the common man, he made so many of them.�  Abe Lincoln

Offline kevindavis007

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Re: Kentucky town opens filling station to the public
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2014, 05:17:47 pm »
Government ownership of the factors of production, is part of the definition of communism.


I see this happening... They put the other gas stations out of business, and they jack up the price or people won't show up at the Government run gas station.
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Oceander

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Re: Kentucky town opens filling station to the public
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2014, 06:33:49 pm »
Here's what'll end up happening:  either (a) it ends up being run as a real business, in which case its fuel prices will converge with the market prices of private operators, or (b) the town's taxpayers end up subsidizing the fuel costs of their neighbors who don't pay taxes to the town but who will patronize the station to take advantage of the below-market prices.  The first case wouldn't be that objectionable - free market competition is competition - but the second would be harmful to both town taxpayers and local private operators.

One wonders how long it'll take the town's taxpayers to catch on to the fact that they're being taken for a ride by this falsely "cheap" gas.

Offline olde north church

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Re: Kentucky town opens filling station to the public
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2014, 07:12:07 pm »
Government ownership of the factors of production, is part of the definition of communism.

Actually, the gas station isn't production, the actual well or refinery would be that.  This is closer to fascism, the distribution of goods through a government storefront.
Why?  Well, because I'm a bastard, that's why.

Offline truth_seeker

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Re: Kentucky town opens filling station to the public
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2014, 08:09:37 pm »
Actually, the gas station isn't production, the actual well or refinery would be that.  This is closer to fascism, the distribution of goods through a government storefront.
The "factors" of production are "land, labor and capital," by classical economic theory terms, and revised terms add "enterprise."

I suggest the operating government owned service station includes all four.
"God must love the common man, he made so many of them.�  Abe Lincoln

Offline olde north church

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Re: Kentucky town opens filling station to the public
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2014, 08:56:24 pm »
The "factors" of production are "land, labor and capital," by classical economic theory terms, and revised terms add "enterprise."

I suggest the operating government owned service station includes all four.

What is not owned by the government?  Not as in "You didn't build that!".  But what can you do without government "permission"?
Some could say, there is a whole lot of employment and wealth off the books.  Eventually, wealth must come in from the dark.  You can only stuff so much money in your mattress.
Barter, on the other hand, is like love.  One need never say it.
Why?  Well, because I'm a bastard, that's why.