Who's got gas?

Dear Editor: In traveling between my home in Sussex County and my daughter’s home in North Carolina over the last fifteen years, I’ve always noticed that Jersey has the lowest gasoline prices on my trip, with Virginia a close second. Looking at combined state and federal gasoline taxes, I see that New Jersey’s is 32.9 cents per gallon. For Virginia, it is 37.3; Pennsylvania 45.1; and 40.8 for North Carolina. So my general experience reflects the tax picture. So, can someone please explain to me why I found the following on my return from Greensboro, North Carolina on September 20? Best gas price in Greensboro: $2.69. Best gas price in Roanoke, Va.: $2.38. Best gas price in Staunton, Va.: $2.59. Best gas price near Harrisburg, Pa.: $2.69. Best gas price in Sussex County, N.J.: $2.85. I cannot attribute the obvious rip-off to price-gouging at gas stations, because that would imply a vast state-wide conspiracy that somehow escaped the news media. But I can only wonder why the oil companies, Bush’s ol’ buddies, would charge approximately 60 cents per gallon more to New Jersey gas stations than to our neighboring states? I travel between N.J. and N.C. fairly often. I’ll keep looking at these differences and reporting them to my political leaders, but, between you and me, folks, we are getting ripped off to the extreme, Katrina notwithstanding. Bill Donald Glenwood