Posted on 04/26/2006 6:25:51 AM PDT by freakboy
BEEVILLE — Texans don't like to be messed with, especially in this rugged South Texas county not far from some of the state's major independence battlefields.
So, it was only a matter of time before Bee County Judge Jimmy Martinez said someone had to stand up to tackle a national epidemic striking at the heart — and pockets — of local residents: Rising gas prices.
This week, Bee County became the first in the state, possibly the country, to pass a resolution asking motorists to boycott fuel pumps beginning Monday.
County elected officials said they would ask others in the state to follow suit.
"Hey, the American people are tired," Martinez said. "What we did is we simply took action instead of complaining.
"We're offering our residents a beacon of hope."
The resolution adopted Monday echoed the nation's anxiety over skyrocketing fuel prices that have now topped $3 in some states. Last week, average prices at the pump climbed 13.1 cents to $2.91 a gallon, according to the Energy Department.
But the boycott call is targeted only at Exxon Mobil gasoline until retailers agree to drop the price to $1.30 a gallon. Martinez said he's especially miffed about reports that former Exxon Mobil CEO Lee Raymond received a retirement package worth $400 million.
The median annual income here is about two-thirds of the state average of almost $40,000. Many can't even afford to travel to nearby hospitals for treatment, he said.
The resolution perplexed Leticia Muñoz, whose family owns the three Bee County Pantry Convenience Stores that sell Exxon Mobil fuel.
"I don't know what they are trying to accomplish," she said. "It's not going to make a difference on the cost of fuel, but it is a direct impact on us. It's ridiculous. There's nothing we can do about (gas prices)."
Muñoz said dropping the price of gas at the family's stores from $2.79, as it was Tuesday, to $1.30 would leave them bankrupt.
But the concerns don't stop at the county government level.
In Washington, there's widespread grumbling about why the federal government is handing out billions in subsidies and tax breaks to oil companies that continue to raise prices on taxpayers.
Martinez said he hopes Bee County's resolution will further spark discussions in the board rooms of the nation's largest oil companies.
"The Commissioners Court said, 'Enough is enough,'" the judge said. "We have to stand up for our people."
Not everyone in the county is embracing the resolution.
"I think it's crazy," said Katryna Rincon, 32, who was filling up at The Pantry South. "I don't think it will really work."
Rincon said she would continue filling up at the gas station even after the boycott begins next week.
County officials said they targeted Exxon Mobil because they are the largest oil company in the United States and hoped competitors, like San Antonio-based Valero, would be motivated to enter into a price war, driving the cost of fuel down.
Both the National Association of Convenience Stores and the American Petroleum Institute said Tuesday the county's efforts were misguided.
API spokeswoman Jane Van Ryan said major oil corporations own fewer than 10 percent, or about 16,000, of the nation's convenience stores.
And, she said, the price of fuel is determined long before it reaches the pump. Van Ryan said the bulk of its cost, about 60 percent, is determined by the price of crude oil, which rose to record levels last week.
"I understand politicians wanting to show action on behalf of their constituents," said John Eichberger, the NACS' vice president of governmental relations. "But, boycotts are the least effective and most destructive outlet for consumers in regards to the markets."
Van Ryan and Eichberger blamed the higher gas prices on instability in oil producing nations, regulations that determine how gas is manufactured and increasing demand.
Martinez said Bee County didn't pass a resolution to hurt local businesses, but to "protect the masses."
"We've been conditioned to think that we can't do anything," he said. "We're beyond that now. Somebody needs to bring it up at the grass-roots level, to light the fire here so it can move on."
Let the lefties boycott. The less of them on the road, the safer the roads are.
Only 25% of its business and investment is in the US. Good luck boycotting.Only 25%? Ask the Exxon shareholders if a 25% reduction is so insignificant.
Venezuela just tried a government power play and they simply just got up and left.If that's true I'll bet if Venezuela was 25% of its business and investment they would've sung a different tune.
What do you mean you can't do that? I DEMAND it!
That message seems to be working for the illegal aliens in America, doesn't it?
I've been thinking some more about boycotting a specific company. Assuming they buy the gas elsewhere, what they are essentially doing is REDUCING competition. Taking it to the extreme, if they decide they are going to boycott every company except one, they are essentially creating a monopoly. By discriminating in any other way besides prices, they are going to pay more than the competitive price. If they truly get utility out of buying gas from comapnies who aren't exxon mobil, that is fine with me. However, they may have to pay higher prices to do so.
"ExxonMobil and its affiliated companies are present on a world scale, doing business in some 200 countries and territories. We explore for oil and natural gas on six of the seven continents and are the world's largest non-government gas marketer and reserves holder."
Exxon is a brand name and on many stations. However in the US 90% of all service stations are individually owned no matter who's brand is being used. Exxon is a oil supplier and its oil can be sold anywhere in the world. If US buyers don't want their oil it will simply be picked up by other traders and countries. Most of it's reserves are not in the US and their is no requirement that they sell them in the US
Bee County Judge Jimmy Martinez is a demonRat; helped into office by dead people voting absentee. IMHO
Wow, what a great idea. This would be just as effective as boycotting McDonald's to decrease the price of hamburgers. (s/off)
One might think that with 50 year mortgages, repackaging of 80s TV shows as movies, Star Wars 1-3, Brittney Spears, and wedge salads we would of reached a Stupidity Saturation Point.
But alas the SSP doesn't exist and there will always be a fresh and easily exchanged supply of stupidity available for use by large groups of silly people to do things like this.
I urge the citizens of Bee County to boycott the county commissioners until their total IQ rises to 130.
There was a call for a nation-wide boycott of Exxon-Mobil last week. The reasoning; let the largest oil company feel the hit in the ol' pocketbook and they will lower gasoline prices forcing others to follow suit.
I almost ran out of gas last night passing up the Exxon station where I used to shop until I joined this boycott.
From the Bee-Picayune
http://www.bee-picayune.com/front1.shtml
Judge Martinez introduced a resolution to ask Bee County citizens to refrain from purchasing gasoline from Exxon Mobil until prices return to at least $1.30 per gallon. “We want to send the message that we’re committed to doing whatever we can,” he said. “This is something we can do as a group.”
Exxon and Mobil were the two largest oil companies in the United States and recently merged into one, according to Martinez, who called the current price of gas outrageous.
Rodriguez questioned if a boycott would impact local gas station owners. The judge said that a reduction in the price would help business owners since consumers would have money to spend inside the store, not just at the pump.
“This is a bigger issue than Bee County,” Stasny said. She expressed concerns over the way the resolution was worded and the mention of specific businesses. She did not find the resolution appropriate and withheld her vote.
“This is your chance. You stand with the oil companies or Bee County,” Martinez said. “There is no other way but to start at the grassroots. That is what we are doing here.”
The commissioners, without Stasny’s vote, approved the resolution.
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