Photo credit – gasbuddy.com
CALVERT COUNTY, Md. – Calvert residents have taken to social media to voice their frustrations with high gas prices compared to the surrounding counties.
Calvert’s gas prices are closer to those in densely populated areas like Silver Spring or Arlington, Virginia, rather than rural counterparts like St. Mary’s County.
According to GasBuddy.com as of Thursday, June 12, the state average for gas per gallon was $3.018. Calvert County’s average was $3.239, St. Mary’s was $2.935, and Charles’ was $2.973. The only county in Maryland with higher prices than Calvert at this time was Garrett County in Western Maryland.
One main driver of the cost differences is that Calvert County is federally designated as a non-attainment area for ozone, requiring the sale of reformulated gasoline. Reformulated gasoline costs more to produce and adds about 10 cents a gallon.
The county created a new landing page in response to the questions about costs, and has stood by Earl F. Hance’s statement at the June 3 Board of County Commissioners meeting that they “don’t control the prices, and no, we don’t get kickbacks.”
As per the new page, Calvert cited the following as reasons for the higher comparative costs:
- Limited fuel distribution and competition
- Higher transportation costs
- Zone pricing
- Independent market pricing
- Air quality regulations
Oil is a particularly volatile, complex industry, and pricing changes daily at every stage of the supply chain. Price drops would be welcome by many in the county, but would still likely be comparatively higher than the surrounding counties.
Still, for many residents who have to fill their tanks in Calvert to get to work or get their kids to schools or camp, rising gas prices are a major source of anxiety. People also reflexively measure the health of the economy through local gas prices. Calvert took out their frustration online about this particular strain on their wallets, sharing the cheapest spots within the county, closest stations outside of Calvert, and even options to get fuel delivered to your home.
They also aired theories about the cause of the high prices and questioned officials’ inability to help, despite the county’s pledge to advocate for infrastructure improvement, smart economic development, and greater transparency.
See here for the full statement on gas prices.
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
I relocated to Calvert County three years ago and have since been increasingly disheartened by the cost of living. Prices across the board—including gas, groceries, and dining—are unreasonably high, especially given the limited options. The scarcity of quality retail establishments and restaurants, coupled with poor customer service at those that do exist, is particularly disappointing.
Having grown up in Maryland, I was always led to believe Calvert County was an ideal place to raise a family, known for its strong schools and community values. However, the reality has been quite different. The cost of living, especially property taxes, is disproportionately high for a rural area with underdeveloped infrastructure. Despite these elevated costs, county officials frequently cite budget shortfalls, which raises serious questions about fiscal management and priorities. We will be moving after our children finish high school.
Your local politicians needed a pay raise
Just go into the next county and get gas, what’s the problem?
Why does Calvert have a federally imposed tax that St Mary’s does not? Why do we have higher property taxes? Why do homes cost more?
I have stopped buying gas, snacks, drinks, anything from Calvert County gas stations. Anne Arundel County is also a nonattainment ozone area. Yet there gas is way cheaper. This is nonsense. Maybe a few gas stations going out of business will help.