http://www.state.mn.us/cgi-bin/port...EDITORIAL&programid=536899674&agency=Commerce (St.Paul) - Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Glenn Wilson today announced that Midwest Oil of Minnesota based in Green Bay, WI is ordered to stop selling gasoline below the legal minimum price. Midwest Oil is also ordered to appear at a hearing to respond to allegations that it sold, offered, or advertised gasoline below the legal minimum on at least 163 separate occasions and that it failed to provide complete responses to department inquires and subpoenas. Civil penalties - not to exceed $10,000 per violation - may be imposed upon final determination that there were violations of law, rule, or order. Minnesota law prohibits any retailer from engaging in unfair discrimination and competition by selling, offering, or advertising gasoline below cost. Minnesota law defines "cost" as the "average terminal price on the day, at the terminal from which the most recent supply of gasoline delivered to the retail location was acquired, plus all applicable state and federal excise taxes and fees, plus the lesser of six percent or eight cents." There is no governmental control on the maximum retail price of gasoline. The Department of Commerce received multiple complaints that Midwest Oil was selling gasoline below cost at three Minnesota stations: Anoka Exxon, 2900 Cutters Grove Ave., Anoka, MN Budget Mart - Mobil, 2611 Bridge Ave., Albert Lea, MN Oakdale Exxon, 3355 Hadley Ave., Oakdale, MN The department's statement of charges includes allegations that the offer, sale, or advertised price for gasoline was below cost on at least 99 separate occasions at Anoka Exxon, at least 40 separate occasions at Mobil in Albert Lea, and at least 24 separate occasions at Oakdale Exxon. Midwest Oil has not fully cooperated with the department's investigation. On more than one occasion, the company failed to produce requested or subpoenaed documents, provided incomplete responses, and failed to meet department deadlines. Midwest Oil received several warnings to adjust its retail prices. The Department of Commerce has previously taken the following enforcement action regarding the offer or sale of gasoline below the legal minimum price: Murphy Oil USA, El Dorado, AR - consent cease and desist order - $70,000 civil penalty Kwik Trip, La Crosse, WI - consent cease and desist order - $5,000 civil penalty SuperUSA, Inc, Bloomington, MN - consent cease and desist order - $1,500 civil penalty Jackson Stop, Inc, Elk River, MN - consent agreement - $500 civil penalty Gas & More Inc., Blaine, MN - consent cease and desist order - $7,500 civil penalty What's Minnesota's problem??? :evil:
that law i believe is going away. basicly it's to keep mom and pop stations from getting pwned by the big players... costco at first was pissed that they could not sell their gas at cost in MN. then they found out that making $$ on fuel is a good thing..
side note. funny thing happened. the owner of a rather large business machine company got caught trying to fill up his 40' pleasure boat at a public access ramp last week. he had a truckbed full of 5 gallon gas cans. ... :shock: the guy was trying to save $50 for fuel.. (the guy guy is worth like 5-10 million) now he's in a ton of trouble..
