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Message text written by "Kevin McCormick"
"There is also a short report from a couple of economists at
Cal about vertical integration and policy choices - like not allowing
the majors to own retail gas stations (some states do this) that you can
find on the CEC's web site if you want."
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Does this also include the deliberate reduction in the number of service
stations? Thus reducing competition at the retail level. Recently an
executive with Shell told me the company was deliberately reducing the
number of Shell stations served by the Martinez refinery. Then I headed
east on I-80 last September and discovered the overwhelming majority of
stations were now either Shell or about to become Shell. (At least he took
my Union card that time while telling me he would soon be Shell.) And this
morning's paper confirms Chevron is about to buy Union 76. That was in the
same article where it was stated they would drop Texaco from their
corporate name. With fewer companies, doesn't the lack of competition also
spell out higher prices?
--John Kelly
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