Are Oil Companies Profiteering from Rising California Gas Prices?

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The Federal Government says gasoline prices are setting records, and that 200 million drivers will soon be paying even more, even though OPEC says it-s pumping more crude oil to bring prices down. In California, where prices are higher than anywhere else, drivers remember the electricity crisis of a few years ago. Now, a watchdog group claims that oil companies are manipulating the market to make more profits than they-re entitled to. Warren Olney explores both sides of the debate with the president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights and the chief economist for American Petroleum Institute. Making News: Anti-immigration Forces Lose Vote to Control the Sierra Club A dispute about increased immigration brought out a record number of voters in one of America-s most influential environmental groups-the 112-year-old Sierra Club. The results were announced today, and there-s a landslide. Glen Martin, environmental writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, has more on the election results and its repercussions. Reporter-s Notebook: UC Forced to Leave Eligible Students Out It-s a basic promise of California-s education policy that the top 12.5 percent of high school students will get into one of the University of California-s eight campuses. This year, for the first time in 40 years, that won-t happen. Susan Wilbur, UC-s director of undergraduate admissions, says state budget woes have forced the University to break a promise to 10,000 qualified students.
The Federal Government says gasoline prices are setting records, and that 200 million drivers will soon be paying even more, even though OPEC says it-s pumping more crude oil to bring prices down. In California, where prices are higher than anywhere else, drivers remember the electricity crisis of a few years ago. Now, a watchdog group claims that oil companies are manipulating the market to make more profits than they-re entitled to. Warren Olney explores both sides of the debate with the president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights and the chief economist for American Petroleum Institute.
  • Making News: Anti-immigration Forces Lose Vote to Control the Sierra Club
    A dispute about increased immigration brought out a record number of voters in one of America-s most influential environmental groups-the 112-year-old Sierra Club. The results were announced today, and there-s a landslide. Glen Martin, environmental writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, has more on the election results and its repercussions.
  • Reporter-s Notebook: UC Forced to Leave Eligible Students Out
    It-s a basic promise of California-s education policy that the top 12.5 percent of high school students will get into one of the University of California-s eight campuses. This year, for the first time in 40 years, that won-t happen. Susan Wilbur, UC-s director of undergraduate admissions, says state budget woes have forced the University to break a promise to 10,000 qualified students.

Sierra Club

Recent To the Point program on the future of the Sierra Club

San Francisco Chronicle article on Sierra Club election

California Department of Conservation

California Energy Commission

Shell Oil on closure of its refinery

State Attorney General on California gasoline market

UC news release on Fall 2004 enrollment reduction

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton