On Sept. 23, Tony Moschetti wrote about gasoline price gouging and asked that someone associated with that business respond. I do not meet that criterion and I am not certain he really wanted an answer, but I will try.
First, if Moschetti has ever sold his home, was his selling price based on his cost or on the current prevailing market prices? I suspect the latter since he would be replacing it at those current prevailing market prices.
Second, when Moschetti goes to the grocery store to buy chicken noodle soup, he probably finds the shelves fully stocked or near-fully stocked most every time; if the shelves were sparsely stocked with just a few cans, he would probably go elsewhere. This base stock is as much a necessary requirement for doing business as are the shelves and store. A business person who sells off the basic assets for an ongoing business only to replace them at higher prices will not remain in business for long.
I detest price gouging as much as Moschetti. I just think he is kicking the wrong dog. Proper examples could include a local book store more than doubling the printed price of a Sept. 12 Washington Post; the Pinehurst U.S. Open charging $3 a bottle for the only available water; and Piedmont Triad International Airport raising the price of 20-minute parking from 25 cents to 75 cents.
Bruce B. Raynor Jr.
Greensboro
News & Record
October 4, 2001
