UNDER A BUCK: GASOLINE PRICES DIP; PRICES USUALLY GOD OWN AFTER SUMMER DRIVING SEASON

A sign at a Sprigg-and-Independence service station lists gasoline prices at 98.9 cents and $1.04.

Across the street, the prices are 99.9 and $1.09.

It doesn't take long for motorists to realize that the station with the 98.9 cents per gallon is closed, and has been for some time.

But the Kwik Pantry is open, and the 99.9 cents a gallon is real.

Gasoline in the Cape Girardeau area has dropped below a buck-a-gallon at most self-service stations.

And motorists really looking for a deal can find a 98.9 listing in Cape Girardeau and a 95.9 price in Jackson.

It happens almost every year at this time: The price of gasoline goes down following the heavy summer driving season.

This time around, the average in the immediate Cape Girardeau area is about 99 cents for self-service, unleaded regular gasoline, a cent or two under metropolitan St. Louis prices, where the average is about $1.01 per gallon for self-service, unleaded fuel.

It's the first time in a long time that Cape Girardeau prices have been under St. Louis prices, said Paul Dirnberger, managing officer of Rhodes 100 Stops, and Bob Blank of Bi-States Oil.

Prices have been about this level for the past two months, said Dirnberger.

"It's a competitive situation here," said Dirnberger. "Our prices are well under the state and, or federal average."

The national average of self-service, regular gasoline in mid-October was $1.26. The statewide average was $1.13.

"We're actually taking a bath with these prices," said Blank. "But we want to protect our customer base. It's an investment in the future to keep our customers."

Blank, Dirnberger, and Michael Right, a spokesman for the Auto Club of Missouri's St. Louis office, agreed that more gas is available than at this time a year ago.

"Prices area falling thanks to normal market conditions, including less demand following the big Labor Day weekend," said Right. "In addition, supplies of gasoline this year are better than they were a year ago, when they were unusually low."

Twelve months ago, the going prices for regular, unleaded, self service gasoline was about $1.15 to $1.16, said Right. "That about 14 to 15 cents more than today's prices."

Last year's prices were the highest for this time of year since the Persian Gulf War of 1990, which pushed the average local price to $1.26 a gallon.

The most recent government and industry reports show that more refineries are operating and that there is more fuel in storage than at the same time last year.

Otherwise, late October prices have been in a fairly narrow range:

-- 90.6 cents in 1995

-- 99.4 cents in 1994.

-- 96.6 cents in 1993.

-- $1.05 in 1992.

-- 98.7 cents in 1991.

Missouri raised its per-gallon gasoline tax by 2 cents each of the three years 1992, 1994 and 1996. And the federal government raised its gasoline tax by 4.2 cents in October 1993.

The latest nationwide review of gasoline prices by the American Automobile Association showed that mid-October average price for unleaded, regular self-service gasoline are highest in Hawaii ($1.66) and California ($1.48). Other average prices for the same fuel range between $1.08 in Georgia to $1.12 in South Carolina to $1.13 in Missouri.