Gas stations charged for transactions
Proposed bill met with mixed reactions from students, convenience store owners
Brian Reisinger
Issue date: 9/29/05 Section: Campus News
"I don't want to have to worry about carrying cash," she said.
With outside forces like oil suppliers and oil refineries affecting the price of gas, she said Zien's initiative is a wasted effort. He should focus on educational funding, property taxes and other problems he can actually help remedy, she said.
"It's a highly politicized topic and, in the end, I think it's not going to make a difference," Rude said.
Zien said it's unfair for those who pay in cash to pay the same as others for gas and other merchandise, since a portion of those prices originate from credit and debit transaction costs.
"A lot of people pay with cash, and they're paying for the people who pay with cards," he said.
Whatever the effect on prices, Zien said, paying in cash, along with being economical in general, could provide relief to the average consumer.
"All of this can have a dramatic effect on gas," he said.
If passed, Zien's bill would align Wisconsin's laws with those of the federal government, which already prohibit credit card companies from penalizing retailers for offering discounts to customers who pay in cash.
The bill passed committee unanimously Sept. 22 and now must come before the Senate floor.
With outside forces like oil suppliers and oil refineries affecting the price of gas, she said Zien's initiative is a wasted effort. He should focus on educational funding, property taxes and other problems he can actually help remedy, she said.
"It's a highly politicized topic and, in the end, I think it's not going to make a difference," Rude said.
Zien said it's unfair for those who pay in cash to pay the same as others for gas and other merchandise, since a portion of those prices originate from credit and debit transaction costs.
"A lot of people pay with cash, and they're paying for the people who pay with cards," he said.
Whatever the effect on prices, Zien said, paying in cash, along with being economical in general, could provide relief to the average consumer.
"All of this can have a dramatic effect on gas," he said.
If passed, Zien's bill would align Wisconsin's laws with those of the federal government, which already prohibit credit card companies from penalizing retailers for offering discounts to customers who pay in cash.
The bill passed committee unanimously Sept. 22 and now must come before the Senate floor.