GAS PRICES FINALLY FALL IN THE CITY

Lower gas prices, which people across the state have enjoyed for some time, have finally come to Cape Girardeau.

Motorists here Wednesday found prices at gas pumps to be a pleasant surprise. Over recent weeks, regular unleaded gas prices fell from $1.06 per gallon to 99 cents, and then to 94 and 95 cents per gallon.

Gas prices are reportedly falling in a four-state region, but the price declines are not luring hordes of motorists to the pumps.

"There might be a slight increase in the volume of customers I have, but its not really that significant," said Tim Lutes, manager of Kidd's Gas and Convenience Store, 1325 Broadway. "People buy gas when they need gas; not when its cheapest."

Lutes said that he reduced his prices to compete with other service stations in the area.

"If people drive down the street and see that gas is one price at one service station, and cheaper on down the road, they're going to go down the road to buy gas," Lutes said. "We try our best to keep a competitive edge."

Kidd's Wednesday was selling regular unleaded gasoline at 95 cents per gallon.

The manager of Edwards 66 Service Station, 915 N. Main, said the station's prices have not and will not change.

"We are a full-service station," he said. "If we lower our prices, we'll lose money. I'm not in the business to lose money."

Saveway Service, 1410 S. Sprigg, is an independent station with a contracted supplier. A spokesperson said it is unable to lower its prices to compete with the chain stations.

Service Gas and Car Wash, 205 S. Kingshighway, has not lowered its prices from 99 cents per gallon, but has not ruled out the possibility of doing so, said a spokesperson.

Strickert Standard Service, 415 S. Hope in Jackson, lowered its prices Wednesday night.

"I'm getting my gas cheaper, so I'll pass some of the savings on to my customers," said John Strickert, owner and manager of the station.

Strickert said he believes people do not necessarily buy more gasoline when prices are lower, but they do keep an eye open for stations where gas is cheapest.

John Reed, owner of Reed Zephyr Service Station, 102 Mason, said he had not received a gas shipment for about a week. "I price my gas according to wholesale prices," Reed said.

The Zephyr station was selling regular unleaded gasoline for 99.9 cents per gallon - reflecting the price of their last shipment.

The fluctuation of gas prices will remain largely due to competition among those who can compete, and prices of daily or weekly shipments suppliers pass on to station owners.

Station owners will keep their prices as low as possible, so as not to alienate themselves from p assersby, most owners said.

But some motorists feel that the reduction is too little too late.

"I see gas is finally 99.9 in Cape Girardeau," one caller to the Southeast Missourian's Speak Out line said. "That's a 4-cent drop. Thanks, gas companies. Now, if you could just drop it 11 cents more, you'd be in line with other gas stations and the rest of Missouri."

Another caller said: "Have you ever looked around at the gas stations at the price of gas? Well, it's come down a few cents but we're still quite a bit higher than surrounding cities and the average for Missouri."

A Dec. 20 survey of the AAA-Auto Club of Missouri indicated that the average price of self-service regular unleaded gasoline was 96 cents per gallon. Missouri's average price was then down 6 cents per gallon since Thanksgiving. The average price per gallon nationwide is $1.13.

In St. Louis the price of regular unleaded gasoline appears to have bottomed out at 88 cents per gallon - a price that has held steady for about three weeks. The average price for gas in suburban St. Louis ranges from 90 to 94 cents per gallon.

Almost all service stations or service station chains in the area were polled for this story. Spokespersons at a number of service stations refused to comment on current gas prices. Others said that it "was not their policy to discuss gas prices - wholesale or otherwise."