This past winter saw natural gas prices soar to record levels, and it looks like energy costs will continue to provide a challenge. As the summer travel season approaches, prices here in Kansas are inching up to the levels of last summer, and the trend is well established nationwide. This past winter saw natural gas prices soar to record levels, and it looks like energy costs will continue to provide a challenge. As the summer travel season approaches, prices here in Kansas are inching up to the levels of last summer, and the trend is well established nationwide.
Consumers have legitimate reasons to be concerned.
As more and more of our personal budgets go into the gas tank, we are left with less money for other goods and services, regardless of the price. And a sustained increase in gasoline prices will only serve to hike prices for other consumer products as transportation and shipping costs soar. I'm not sure it does us much good to assign blame. I'd rather address the problems and look for solutions that will benefit us in the long term. There is no doubt the United States has an economically unhealthy dependence on foreign oil.