Through the years, I have noticed (more so since living in Maine) that whenever any southern refinery has the slightest problem, within the next few days the price of gasoline in Maine starts going up. I want to know why, and why so fast? It takes more than a few days for the gasoline supply to slow down.

I really don’t think there is a slow down for gasoline shipping. I think gasoline retailers just use any reason at all to raise the price. And I was told that at least some of the gasoline available in this area comes from Canada.

I guess the people in Maine have been had, again.

It is just another case of the rich getting richer.

Perhaps we should all keep our vehicles running when going into a store, even for 10 minutes or so, so we can burn more gasoline and help the rich get richer.

Alan Girouard, Hartford

Editor’s note: According to online sources, the supply of gasoline to the northeast is limited. When the supply is disrupted, such as when southern refineries have to shut down, bids for the remaining supply go higher, meaning prices to buy that supply go up, which is passed along to retailers and then to consumers. Once the supply has stabilized, prices will return to normal for the time of year.