Sherman businessman fighting high gas prices in Washington

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Sherman businessman fighting high gas prices in Washington

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Posted: 12:57 PM May 8, 2008
Last Updated: 12:57 PM May 8, 2008
Reporter: Mystic Matthews
Email Address: mystic.matthews@kxii.com

11 comments

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SHERMAN, Tex. -- One local businessman is taking the fight against high gas prices all the way to Washington.

Bill Douglass is the CEO of Douglass Distributing in Sherman. He testified Wednesday in front of a house judiciary committee about the negative effect those high gas prices are having on consumers and businesses alike.

Douglass traveled to Washington to speak on behalf of the National Association of Convenience Stores. Douglass was traveling Thursday night back to Sherman, so we talked to his son, Brad Douglass.

Brad says Douglass had to close four of their 150 distribution stores on Wednesday. His dad says the answer to high gas prices is legislative changes.

"Three things, how to increase supply to bring price down, taxes associated with it and credit cards fees," Brad Douglass, president, Douglass Distributing, says.

Douglass says if legislators would cut the federal excise tax alone. Consumers could see lower prices in time for the summer driving season.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: anonymous on May 11, 2008 at 11:06 AM
almost sounds like this man is doing it for him since hes in the business .I really dont think he cares about any of us

Posted by: Josep Location: East Canton on May 10, 2008 at 09:41 PM
Hi my name is Joe and I just want to know how are we going to keep working the way gass is and them how are we all going to keep are home and be able to get are kid's what they need. We have get to do somethinng be for we do not have anythibg stop the gass price. And for the TRUCK DRIVER how are we going to get the food in where we need it and all the thing we need to live . That the Truck Driver do for us all come on and stop it way we can!!!!!

Posted by: Anonymous on May 9, 2008 at 03:06 PM
RC, it's call business! All companies want the biggest profit available. Exxon just had a few percentage points of margin (profit). Start naming off other business that make billions of dollars a year. Do you want everyone to make the same amount of money? Do you believe in Democracy and having a chance to make yourself wealthy? If you answered yes, congratulations. You are one step ahead of a lot of people across the worl. They don't have that opportunity. Welcome to America! Welcome to Capitalism!

Posted by: Anonymous on May 9, 2008 at 03:03 PM
Yeah RC, and the entire oil industry profited $123 billion last year... but they sold 31 billion barrels of oil. That's $4/barrel they're profiting... and when you consider that oil is $120/barrel right now...

Posted by: RC Location: Texas on May 9, 2008 at 01:34 PM
Exxons profit was over 30 BILLION last year, come on, can you see a problem?

Posted by: Out of Gas Location: Sherman on May 9, 2008 at 12:13 PM
First of all, I had a friend who owned a full service station and he told me he paid more for his gas than what the self service stores were selling it for, therefore it is not necessarily high profit just because the price is high. He went out of business. It's the oil companies that are raking in record profits. Second, the real answer is alternative fuel, not fossel fuel. Thirdly, I don't believe anything the oil companies are telling us. Shortage, supply won't keep up with demand, they have to charge that price to make a profit, come on, they're making record billions! I wonder why when I drive up 1417 and all the oil well pumps are sitting idle? I'm told that the goverment won't let them pump but so many barrels per month. Is that true??? Like I said, I don't believe any of it. If there is a shortage, then it is on purpose. We the people need to stand up and say We're Mad as Hell and not going to take it any more." Vote all incumbents out of office! Instead we gripe and go on.

Posted by: kristi on May 9, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Give Mr Douglas a break. As for his the material things his family has, is not relevent to the gas prices and the people's struggles. As for the profits, why be in business if you can't make any money. This effects everyone. But,Im not a businessman are you? Right now, anything is worth a try. It shouldn't matter who takes the lead, I don't see you or I. Sometimes takes the right person to bull... the people in washington. The old "salesman pitch" method. Good luck Bill!

Posted by: Anonymous on May 9, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Why does this matter? If the oil compnaies want to charge 9 dollars/gallon, they can do it and we will either pay it or walk. They have us right where they want us and there is nothing we can do about it except complain.

Posted by: Anonymous on May 8, 2008 at 10:55 PM
Seems the Douglass family likes the profits in the higher gas prices. Bill drives his new Cadillac, Brad drives his new Escalade, and all of their service trucks are less than a year old! While we the comsumer are stuggeling to put 20 or 30 dollars of gas in our tank to get a 1/4 of tank of gas. Hummmmm

Posted by: me on May 8, 2008 at 06:13 PM
then why dont he lower the prices of gas at his stores as from what i hear he owns many of them

Posted by: CS Location: NC on May 8, 2008 at 04:47 PM
Although I no longer live on the area, I still feel the pain of high gas prices...I will back this business man any way I can in order to help bring down gas prices! Thank you Mr. Douglass for fighting this!~

Posted by: floyd Location: river bottom on May 8, 2008 at 04:31 PM
The Douglases are pretty good at maximizing profits. More power to them, just don't ask the government to do it for you. I don't want the government any deeper into telling companies what fees they can charge for their services. Dropping the gasoline tax would help drive up demand. By summer's end, the problem would be worse. The answer to nothing is in the legislature. Unless it's to get out of business' way, the government will likely make it worse. What's happened since Bush's state of the union endorsement of ethanol is any easy example.

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