Olens calls for Odd-Even Gas Days
We first reported the gas shortage in Marietta last week. The past few weeks have been crazy in Marietta and Cobb County to find gas. Long lines, gas stations attendants playing referee to just get folks into and out of the gas lines.
Just yesterday, the Costco on Barrett Parkway had to completely re-route the traffic into Costco around the building and wrap back into the gas lines. The QT station at Bells Ferry and Cobb Parkway (pictured above), just like most stations, will back up traffic for up to a half mile when gas finally does come in. The issue I see is one of “Demand Disruption”. While the original issue was the shortage on the gas supply side, it’s now an issue with consumer fear. Since everyone is fearful they won’t get gas, when it does become available, folks get it – regardless if they need it or not.
It sounds like some local Cobb County officials are getting deeper into the issues now (finally).
The MDJ is reporting this on the issue:
Sam Olens, chairman of the Cobb Board of Commissioners, spent 45 minutes on Sunday waiting to fill up the tank in his wife’s car, which was near empty. On Monday morning, Olens said he believed the state was not doing enough to address the gas crisis.
“The state should mandate an odd-even license plate or like system to discourage residents from trying to top off their fuel tank every day,” Olens said.
“What efforts are being made to solve this crisis?” he asked. “It is more than the governor. Where is the Agriculture Commissioner?”
U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson said Olens’ idea is a good one, having been used during the gas rationing of the 1970s. Isakson said Perdue has the power to decree an odd-even license plate system under the Emergency Powers Act.
Former Gov. Roy Barnes, of Mableton, went further.
“The governor should order the National Guard to transport whatever fuel is necessary from wherever we have to go to get it,” Barnes said.
State Sen. Doug Stoner (D-Smyrna) said a shortage like this happened in 2005 when Katrina struck and the state responded well.
“However, it seems that this situation is very different in that we could have begun allotting fuel much sooner. So while everyone would be not able to top-off, there would still be enough fuel to go around and for all of us to be in some discomfort and not have our lives disrupted to the degree they have been,” Stoner said.
State Rep. Rob Teilhet (D-Smyrna) blasted the state’s response.
Comments