Ohio Valley Gas Prices - Where are We Headed?
The economy can be considered in a recession, gas prices are completely out of control and the high price of gas is translating into high prices on just about everything from groceries to general necessities. The price of gas here in the Ohio Valley is approaching $4.00 a gallon and we are all feeling the pain in our wallet at the pumps and in the checkout lanes of our favorite shopping center. The worst part to all this is there does not appear to be any end to this in sight. The oil prices continue to sky rocket, the oil companies are getting RIDICULOUSLY rich and little communities like the Ohio Valley gets screwed. What can we do?
For those that work away from home (just about all of us) there is little that can be done. If you live close enough to your place of employment, consider walking to work if you feel up to it. If you live a little farther away maybe car pooling is the way to go or maybe even ride a bike. Some may even consider taking a public bus or using a taxi service and the pain of gas prices is felt there as well. Both taxi fares and bus fares, including passes are on the rise and will just continue to get worse and worse. Unfortunately there is a group of citizens that are really feeling this latest round of gasoline price increases and that is the elderly or those that are on fixed incomes for various reasons. My Grandmother is on a fixed income and her budget is down to juggling between getting to the grocery store for food or making sure her electricity stays on so she can keep cool this summer. I think here in the Ohio Valley as well as across the entire county we are going to see a serious issue develop in the elderly communities.
This summer is predicted to be a scorcher. With the cost of gas prices continuing to increase more and more senior citizens may be without electricity or opt to not turn on their air conditioning just to save a few dollars so they can get to the store to buy food. Maybe this is a little far fetched to think, but from my point of view it is very realistic.
The reality is simple. As gas prices increase and unemployment increases, more and more people are going to choose one necessity over another. This will hold true in the Ohio Valley and in other similar communities across the country. With unemployment on the rise in the Ohio Valley, especially due to Steel Mill buyouts and mergers you can easily see that hardship is well on its way, the likes that have not been seen in many years. The gas spike in the 70's will look like easy street compared to what we are headed for and if our federal government is not careful this recession could turn into something far worse. Let's all hope that does not happen now. A recession is bad enough but to consider the possibilities of a depression similar if not worse than the collapse in 1929 is not out of the question. Any generation that grew up after the great depression would certainly be in for a lifestyle that would be well beyond most hardships they have ever faced. The gas price here in the Ohio valley along with the rest of the country is the tip of the iceberg. The writing is on the wall and harder times are certainly ahead for the Ohio Valley if we do not see any relief soon.
