Wisconsin Regulators: "Hi. I'm from the government and I'm here to help raise your gas prices."

Ronald Bailey | May 9, 2007

Just try lowering gasoline prices in Wisconsin. The Associated Press reports:

A service station that offered discounted gas to senior citizens and people supporting youth sports has been ordered by the state to raise its prices.

Center City BP owner Raj Bhandari has been offering senior citizens a 2 cent per gallon price break and discount cards that let sports boosters pay 3 cents less per gallon.

But the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says those deals violate Wisconsin's Unfair Sales Act, which requires stations to sell gas for about 9.2 percent more than the wholesale price.

Bhandari said he received a letter from the state auditor last month saying the state would sue him if he did not raise his prices. The state could penalize him for each discounted gallon he sold, with the fine determined by a judge.

Whole AP story here.  

Kudos to frequent H&R commenter highnumber for the link.