Gas Price Gouging

Last fall, on several occasions, I wrote about the outrageous prices of both gasoline and natural gas. Winter is now coming to a close -- and a relatively mild winter for most of the country -- and gas prices seem to be on the rise again.

After reporting record profits in January, the gas companies have come under added scrutiny for price gouging. From CBSNews.com:

Across the nation, natural gas bills are up 17 percent over last winter — and 18 percent in the Midwest. On Wednesday, state law-enforcement officials charged that some of the jump is due to price-gouging. ... [A] six-month investigation by four Midwestern states concludes that gas customers are paying $5 billion a month more than they should. But Skip Horvath, who heads the gas trade group, blames skyrocketing prices in January on the double-whammy of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which disrupted gas supplies...

While my natural gas bills this winter seemed much lower than the increase I had anticipated, it was in no way due to lower charges from the gas company. Warmer than usual temperatures and tight control of the thermostat helped make the winter heating bill affordable. On the other hand, with a 170 mile daily commute, the high cost of gasoline has certainly taken it's toll.

Joe