Another Gasoline Hike Requested; This Time Gasoline Station Owners Want Theirs
Gasoline price increases continue to make the headlines, with four hikes in the first four months of this year and one decrease last week, bringing the cost of gasoline the highest ever recorded.

Now, gasoline station owners have asked the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos - the regulator of public prices and services - for a hike in the margins that could see an increase of another ¢6 colones to the already high prices.

Currently, for every litre pumped, gasoline station owners make a ¢21.8 colones margin - gross profit. If the increase is approved, it would being their margin to ¢27.7 colones or 27% of the current margin.

This year, the price of gasoline jumped in three increases that were a direct result of the rising world price for crude oil, one that hiked the price ¢40 in one jump and one for tax imposed by the government on the sale of gasoline.

Station owners say they need the increase to cover their rising costs of operation, which ironically, is an indirect result of high gasoline prices. The cost of electricity, water, salaries and other operations costs have increased and the station owners don't want to be left behind, as their last increase in margins was approved in December of 2004.

If the price hike is approved, a litre of super gasoline will go to ¢406 colones (us$85.5 a litre).