The proposed legislation would make it compulsory for all gas stations to post the sign, "If you suspect price gouging by a gas station or the watering down of gas, you should call the consumer protection number to report that," Weprin said. Stations would [image-nocss] be required to post this sign in a visible location where all customers could see it, said the report.
"We are highlighting the high price of gas, and we want the state government to play a major part to ensure that there is no price gouging and to ensure that people are getting the product they are paying for--that it doesn't have water content," said Adams.
"Consumers don't know what the price of gas should be, and you have a wide disparity between prices among stations even right next to each other," said Weprin. "There is no justification for one gas stationto charge a difference of 30 to 40 cents" compared to another station in the same neighborhood, he added.
"I think [gas pricing] is a statewide issue, because people upstate rely on their cars even more than [people in] the city," Weprin added.
Adams said that the added protections are needed "so people can't exploit the conflict in the Middle East."
"We want to make sure that we keep our eyes on the pump and do not allow people to exploit and price gouge or to add contents into gas," he said.
Consumers are being encouraged to contact the Consumer Protection Board if they believe that stations are overcharging, or if the quality of fuel is questionable, the report said.
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