Lowe In The News

FINNEY ASKS STATE TO PROBE GAS PRICES
The Jackson Sun
September 17, 2008

State Sen. Lowe Finney has asked Attorney General Bob Cooper to investigate whether West Tennessee consumers are being unfairly charged excessive gas prices in the wake of Hurricane Ike, according to a press release.

Finney, D-Jackson, said in a Sept. 15 letter to Cooper that many constituents have expressed concerns over gas prices that went up dramatically in just a few hours following the storm in the Gulf Coast.

"Over the past three days, I have been in contact with many families in the 27th District who feel absolutely helpless in the face of high gas prices that they have been charged in recent days," the letter states. "While the storms in the Gulf Coast have put a legitimate burden on our nation's refining capacity, we need to ensure that customers are only paying the fair market price for energy."

In the letter, Finney said he noticed a dramatic increase in gas prices on a trip to East Tennessee last weekend, where prices jumped from $3.57 per gallon of regular unleaded to $5.09.

"Indeed, many consumers were faced with this high price in Jackson and surrounding areas," the letter states. "It is unbelievable that in a period of less than eight hours, gas prices in Tennessee rose by 40 percent. Even so, some stations were completely sold out as families became increasingly uncertain that they would be able to have fuel to drive to and from work, church and school."

Finney represents the 27th District in Carroll, Gibson and Madison counties. He is vice chairman of the Senate State and Local Government Committee and secretary of the Senate Transportation Committee.

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