KTRV Fox 12 Gas price increases hurt charities
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Boise, Idaho -- Higher than normal gas prices are leaving people feeling a little pinched at the pumps.
Idahoans are now paying just shy of $2.95 per gallon. Experts say demand is driving the increase, which isn't about to end anytime soon.
"They're high and going up," said Dave Carson, AAA Idaho spokesman.
In fact, gas prices in Idaho are the ninth highest in the nation.
According to Carlson, they've increased nearly 70 cents in less than two months.
"We surpassed the national average here a week ago, and are six or eight cents above that mark already," he said.
Many stations around the valley already advertise gas for more than $3 a gallon.
Sadly, says Carlson, the rising costs are due for another bump, even though crude oil has remained relatively stable. And now that the summer season is upon us, he expects some changes in vacation schedules.
"So what we see instead of the traditional two-week vacations are a lot of two and three day jaunts, where people are traveling within the state or within the region rather than cross country," Carlson said.
He says those who travel around the country may be surprised to start seeing prices has high as $4 in bigger city's like San Francisco and Los Angeles.
While the increase is taking it's toll on local families, many charities are also now working on ways to cope.
"It's getting very difficult to go out and ask the public for additional money," said Dick Rush, Red Cross of Idaho.
Rush says the Red Cross will pay an additional $1,500 this year in higher gas prices, which certainly affects the amount of people they can help. But it may also hurt their volunteers -- many up until now have been absorbing their own travel expenses.
"It will be tougher to get volunteers, or they'll just say. We have to be reimbursed for those costs. So we're also concerned about passing those kind of expenses on to our volunteers," said Rush.
With their own needs increasing at the Red Cross -- through a higher number of apartment and house fires this year -- Rush is hopeful that residents have the means to help out.
"People have been very generous, and we hope they'll continue to be so," he said.
Recent increases in gas prices are also adding to the record earnings for oil companies.
In just the first three months of this year, Exxon Mobil made $9.3 billion, which is up 10 percent from last year. This issue is now causing legislators to take note.
Pennsylvania Sen. Robert Casey wants a 50 percent tax on oil profits. He also wants to eliminate industry tax breaks and raise the royalties that companies pay for offshore drilling leases.
