By Jim Popkin, NBC News Senior Investigative Producer
There's evidence of possible price gouging at gas stations in Florida, and lawmakers across the South today are on the lookout for other examples of unwarranted price increases in the wake of Hurricane Ike. Some states are even asking consumers to use their cell phones to take pictures of gas-station price signs, to document alleged greed.
In Florida, Attorney General Bill McCollum today is serving subpoenas to four companies, seeking information about reported gas-price gouging. The state has received more than 350 complaints. "We will not tolerate gouging for greed," McCollum said. Florida is serving the subpoenas to the corporate offices of Flying J, Dodge's Gas Stores, Valero and Pilot Travel Centers.
So far, a Florida official says the highest report of gouging was $5.50 for a gallon of regular unleaded. At another fuel station in Miami, the price Saturday was $4.87 for regular unleaded and $5.09 for premium, the Miami Herald reported. Most South Florida stations are selling gas for under $4 a gallon.
In Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and North Carolina, state lawmakers are all on the lookout for gouging.
--In Arkansas, state Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said his office has received numerous complaints about possible gouging. McDaniel urged state residents to send him photos--by email or cell phone--of gas-station signs showing exorbitant gasoline prices.
--Louisiana is soliciting cell-phone photos of high gas prices, too. As of Friday, the state had received more than 1,000 complaints of potential price gouging after Hurricanes Gustav Ike, a state official said.
--In Mississippi, the state reports a "flurry of calls" regarding increased gas prices. "Many people are concerned that they are hearing that the price of crude oil is falling and yet their gas prices are rising at the pump," state Attorney General Jim Hood said. But Hood cautioned that, under Mississippi law, merchants are allowed to increase their prices after an emergency if they have incurred additional costs in bringing that product to the public. "If a gas station owner was making 10 cents a gallon before the state of emergency was declared, he may continue to do so. If the cost of obtaining gas goes up by 50 cents, the price may be increased 50 cents, so long as the owner does not make more than 10 cents a gallon above his costs," Hood said.
--In Texas, Attorney General Greg Abbott recently charged an Edinburg, TX, motel operator with price gouging. The state claimed that the owner of a Comfort Inn doubled prices after Hurricane Dolly. The AG found that the motel charged $149.99 for rooms, instead of the usual $79.99.
--In Oklahoma, Attorney General Drew Edmondson warned businesses not to price gouge in the wake of Hurricane Ike. According to state law, prices cannot increase more than 10 percent above the price charged immediately prior to an emergency declaration (unless the increase does not include any rise in profit to the seller.) In May, Oklahoma announced a settlement with the LaQuinta hotel chain that required the company to provide refunds and free room vouchers for consumers who overpaid for rooms during the December ice storm.
--And in North Carolina, Gov. Mike Easley declared a state of "abnormal market disruption" on Friday, and directed the state Attorney General to enforce the price gouging statute. "As a result of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, oil refineries in Texas and Louisiana have temporarily interrupted some gasoline supplies to the pipelines that serve North Carolina. Therefore, there may be temporary limitations on our gas supply. However, wholesale gas prices are up less than 20 cents a gallon over the last few days. Therefore, consumers should not see prices rise substantially more than this rise in the wholesale price," the governor said.
