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CORTLANDT, N.Y. Business owners in the Croton area appear unconcerned, not exasperated, with rising gas prices. Many cite living through previous spikes in gas prices, saying that while it makes budgets tight, they have little control over the price of gas.
Its an issue thats being blown out of proportion, said Bill Bird, worker at the Green Growler Grocery in Croton. The Green Growler specializes in micro-brewery beer, imported from all over the northeast. I dont think it will affect the beer prices, and if it does itll be miniscule, he said.
Co-owner of Community Markets, Miriam Haas agreed, saying that the gas prices would put the pinch on northern vendors who travel to the farmers markets throughout Westchester, but consumers likely wont see prices rise.
Well, you know we had a spike, I guess it was last summer, it was over $4 , said Haas. It was difficult for the vendors, but they still value coming down here, its where they make most of their money, she said.
Average regular gas prices are up more than 21 cents in the New York area over the last month, according to the Energy Information Administration, and barrels of crude oil were above $107 Friday afternoon. AAA reports that New Yorkers pay the fourth highest average gas prices in the US, below Hawaii, California and Alaska.
According to AAA, the average price of gas in New York, as of Monday, was $3.88. Over the last six weeks the average price of gas in New York has increased an average of 22 cents.
Prices for retail gasoline have already surpassed $4 per gallon in some parts of Cortlandt, as of noon on Friday, gas stations in Croton averaged $4.13. The highest was Doms Friendly Service on Riverside Avenue South, and the lowest were both the Citgo and Lukoil on Riverside Avenue, closer to Croton-Harmon train station, both at $4.09.
The reason gas prices are going up are geopolitical factors, more than anything supply and demand related, said Stuart Gruskin, Westchester-based energy and environmental consultant. Gruskin says diversifying energy sources for transit would be a better solution than simply increasing domestic oil production.
What we need to learn from it is itd bad public policy to have your fate dependent on these events we cant control, he said.
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