Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 31, 1992 TAG: 9203310279
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: MARTINSVILLE LENGTH: Medium
Maynard Kirkman of Eden travels to Virginia twice a week to buy gas. Some border-county residents cross the state line daily to fill up.
"I feel I'm saving because my car gets 40 miles per gallon and I can get to Martinsville on one gallon. It might just be a few bucks, but it helps," he said.
Self-service regular unleaded gas averages $1.018 a gallon in North Carolina, according to a recent survey.
"We see beaucoup of North Carolina license tags. Many of the people work in Virginia and buy before they go home," says Andy Hodgin, manager at a Fisca Gas Station in Martinsville that sells gas at 93.9 cents per gallon.
"On weekends, they bring two and three automobiles up here. They even come with 5-gallon and 10-gallon containers. Some bring drums to fill up," he said.
Phil Bridges, spokesman for the North Carolina Revenue Department, doesn't know how much the practice is hurting the state's economy.
"The only thing that can be done is to lower our tax rate. And that's a legislative decision," he said.
North Carolina's gas tax - the fourth-highest in the nation - is 22.55 cents per gallon. Virginia's gas tax is 17.7 cents per gallon.
Last year, North Carolina collected $895 million from the tax, said Bob Ward, a spokesman for the North Carolina Petroleum Marketers Association.
Complaints about high gas prices are constant at service stations in counties that border Virginia.
"People fuss about it all the time," said Susan McKinney, assistant manager at a Texaco station in Caswell County. "They always ask why our prices are higher than the Texaco in Virginia. A lot of it has to do with competition. We stay competitive with the store next door, not with Virginia."
Instead of fuming at the pump, one Greensboro motorist said he'll continue to head for the border.
"I try to shop around for cheaper gas in Greensboro, but sometimes I just come here to fill up," said William Goins.
by CNB