I never get gas in New Lenox...I always drive to Joliet. New Lenox is usually the highest price around. It's sad the our town is always trying to cheat the residents.

I am so happy to hear this from the Mayor. I have noticed this over the last couple months by watching Gas Prices on my way to work in a Northwestern Suburb. Our gas prices here are higher than they are on major streets/roads. We need to send a message.

I agree with Denice. I too work in the NW burbs and gas at the Speedway here has been twenty cents cheaper per gallon ( consistently ) for the last few weeks. On week ends I've been putting just enough N.L gas ( if needed ) in my car to make it to work and then I gas up here. I say if you can go anywhere else to get your fuel....do it.

and Kudos to the Mayor for urging residents to do so. I say we tell N.L. stations to
" stick it up their gas "

Bravo Mayor Baldermann, Bravo!!!!
I was one of those that have complained to the Mayor about this in the past, and just recently contacted The Patch about New Lenox gasoline prices. I haven't purchased gasoline in New Lenox for months. Joliet is always cheaper, but I don't go that direction often. Once I noticed Frankfort, Mokena and even Orland gasoline prices were 15-25 cents cheaper, per gallon, on any given day, I planned my gas fill-ups for days that I was heading east.
I would love to keep my money in New Lenox, but refuse to pay more to greedy owners. Greed is one of those 7 deadlies!!
My hope is that enough people read The Patch or watch the board meeting on Channel 6 to hear the Mayors message.
Boycott New Lenox gas stations ....... BECAUSE WE CAN!!!!!

Who and where does our city buy gas from for our vehicles?

If we buy gas elsewhere but still from the same company such as Speedway, will that really make a point? After all, they're still getting your money.

I try to never buy gas here. When Tinley Park and Crestwood are cheaper (Cook County) you know something is wrong. I had to be in Manteno last week while it was 4.19 here it was 3.86 there no use asking where I gassed up

Thank you Mayor

It is almost always cheaper to gas up elsewhere. Of course you have to be in those areas anyway to realize any savings as you sure don't want to go there just to gas up and spend all your savings on the way up and back. I also want to thank our mayor for caring enough about us to go the extra mile and contact the gas companies in the first place, and hope that all of you get the message and stop using our New Lenox gas staions if at all possible. I will continue to gas up in Orland or Joliet until New Lenox gets competitive with neighboring communities!!!

I was just about to post something about New Lenox being second to Chicago in the Nation with the highest gas prices! All surrounding towns are below 4 dollars. Doesn't anyone investigate these guys??? I'm with you mayor!

Mayor, thank you for thinking of the residents! Our Illinois politicians haven't done that in a very long time. Its very nice to see a change and other politicians will take your lead!

I steal my gas from municipal vehicles. I found it is much more economical than paying the exorbitant prices at the pump, bt it is hard to get the taste of unleaded out of my mouth.

Shouting at 'capitalism at work', is not anything more than grandstanding politics. Each retail gasoline company in New Lenox has hundreds of stations elsewhere. So this plan by the mayor fails in many ways (but looks good on TV to some). Now, when a NL resident goes to Monee, Orland Park, Mokena, etc..., they are giving Speedway, BP, and others their dime, as well as filling that particular city's tax bucket. That only fuels more economic development elsewhere. Bad mistake.

The better move is to grease the way for more competition. Walmart gas could care less about BP or Speedway's prices. They do their percentage markup and that's that. How do you stop Jewel (now closing the Laraway Rd. store) from monopolizing food prices, let competition (Walmart, Target, & Aldi) come in. Capitalism works best when the spirit of competition is "fueled", not the wide open mouths of politicians!

I think Eugene makes a good point. NL govt and residents would be better off finding a way to get stations to lower their prices and keep the revenue in NL. I think the mayor's idea would work but is short-sighted -stations would raise their prices back up once their volume recovered. Here's a link to low gas prices http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=
It wasn't loading the most current info when I just checked, and maybe there are better e-sources or a good phone ap out there -anyone?

@Mary: WJOL reported this morning that it's a possibility. I'm working to get more details.

I don't know what you people are reporting about cheaper gas in Frankfort and Orland. They have always been higher than us in N.L. My sister lives in Frankfort and she buys gas here because it's cheaper and I am in Orland at least on a week and they are always higher than us. The only town that I know is cheaper than us is Joliet which I never visit and Manhattan. I think it's ridiculous to drive to another town for gas.

I NEVER buy gas in New Lenox, everything in New Lenox is more $$$ - heck the Aldi even has higher prices than other Aldi stores. I guess they all figure that if we keep paying for it they can charge the higher amounts - go elsewhere for everything!!

Many parts of the country routinely pay a full $1 less a gallon than us NL'ers. Just like Chicagoans pay 75 cents- a dollar more a gallon than us usually.

Gas last weekend down in Champaign was $3.75 - $3.60 a gallon! Ours was $4.29 in New Lenox while it was $3.75 in Manteno, $3.99 in Frankfort and Mokena. I am so glad that the mayor is trying to do something about this!

http://www.illinoisgasprices.com/USA_Tax_Map.aspx
Obviously, taxes are to blame for a huge chunk of the high price as well..

If the folks in Washington could get their act together and get a certain pipeline going and allow permits for off shore drilling (before it gets sold to another country, and it will get sold), we might actually become independent from foreign oil.

Please remember this in November when you have the privilege/duty to vote in someone with some solid and proven business acumen.

I never buy gas in NL since my job took me out of town. I consistently save .12 - .15 a gallon filling up on the way to work.

Thw mayor is correct we need to focus on buying our gas out of town until the prices come in line with other Illinois communities

FYI, if you have a phone capable, Gasbuddy has an app. that allows you to check local gas prices right on your phone, ,and sorts by distance or price. I have been using it for about 6 months and it is normally right on, however, if the station changed prices during the day, it may not have been reported yet. Gasbuddy users report prices and you can update a price if it is different than what gasbuddy says it is... Thanks Mayor B!!! You are the best!

who never leaves new lenox? its a small town drive a mile or two and save money.i never by gas in town they have been higher for the last 10yrs that i have been here.cook county is cheaper. gas buddy or msn cheapest gas prices are both very good sites to help you.

I got gas yesterday on my way back to NL from Provena/St. Joe at Sam's Club and paid 3.93.9 instead of 4.19.9 that Speedway had posted!!

BP in Manhattan: 3.89; BP in NL: 4.19!!

This wonderful topic is going to be on story on Channel 2/CBS at 5pm today(4/24).

Today the gas price at speedway and shell on Briggs is $3.98 while NL gas stations are at $4.19

Most of us from the area travel to our jobs. The "local" gas stations have to realize their competition isn't down the block, or across the street. The competition can be 20 or 30 miles away, in any direction. If the locals are intent on making a killing on the few people who do buy from them, then that's their perogative. Those of us who rack up some miles will save where they can, and the locals will lose that business.

Buy gas in New Lenox? Never again. I live here and would like to support the businesses in town but when they all charge the same amount for gas, that is not competition, it is collusion. Almost akin to price fixing. I work in Downers Grove and plan my gas purchases to coincide with passing the Speedway at 143rd and Lemont Road which is ALWAYS cheaper than here in town. BTW, I stopped taking I-355 to work in January and drive the local roads after the tollway authority raised its tolls. I average a savings of about $60.00 a month not using the tollway. I agree with the mayor. Boycott the business that don't care about us and only their bottom line.

Its about time somebody says something about this!! I agree that New Lenox residents should not buy gas here! Better yet, don't stop and buy coffee, donuts, or even a pack of gum at one of the gas/ mini marts!!!!! This is what really hurts these businesses as they make more profit on these items! If you want lower gas prices, boycott the entire store not just the pumps!!!!!!!!

I had to laugh driving down Rt.30 tonight when I saw Speedway at $4.14 and BP at $4.17. Do they really think dropping it a few pennies is going to make us buy gas there? I did enjoy seeing their pumps empty.

My hope this morning was that enough New Lenox residents would read The Patch article or see Mayor Baldermann's comments on Channel 6 from Monday nights Board Meeting. Tonight my hope is that enough New Lenox residents are watching the News, just saw Mayor Baldermann on WGN-9pm broadcast. Way to way Mr. Mayor, way to stand up for the residents of New Lenox. I also purchased my gasoline in Frankfort today.

I have noticed that the Speedway in Tinley at Harlem just north of I-80 is always busy at all hours. It is not unusual to wait a minute or two for an open pump! Why? The price there is anywhere from $.15-$.50/gallon cheaper than New Lenox. Like many others commenting, I no longer buy gas in New Lenox. And YES, it DOES make a difference -- even if "it's the same company". Listen closely to business reports and you'll hear about "same store sales." Corporate America does all kinds of accounting and reporting within their own companies. If enough New Lenox residents skirt the local franchises, BP, Speedway, et. al. WILL notice and the corporate offices will begin asking questions of the local operators.

Tell your friends, tell your neighbors! Even if it takes a few minutes, we need to save the bucks by going elsewhere for gas!!! And then take the savings and pay a little more for a LOT more service by patronizing other local businesses....

People just don't get it...the stations are undermining the local economy...residents paying for gas and cutting back on other purchases is hurting local business...there should be an ordinance against price gouging!

Way to go Mayor! The residents of NL would have to purchase 100 MILLION GALLONS of gas at -.10 cents (cheaper in other suburbs) to save the 10 million dollars to pay for the proposed 10 million dollar police station that we do not need. And that's BEFORE any interest accumulated on the $10 mill loan.

Stop this nonsense at do whatever it takes to develop a plan to create the lowest crime rates in the state. Stop wasting your staff’s time and our tax dollars on creating a state of the art jail/police station. Your ideology suggests that we will be anticipating a significant level of crime.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MAYOR for standing up for us! This has been going on for quite sometime now. I completely support Mayor Balderman in this issue and I applaud him for supporting the residents of New Lenox. Back in January 2012 I noticed that the New Lenox gas prices were 20 cents a gallon more than in Homer, Mokena, and Frankfort. NOT 2-3 CENTS BUT 20 CENTS A GALLON MORE and I have pictures to prove it. I will shop elsewhere and not give my money to these crooks!

Personally I think they are using the talk that was circulating around town about the tragic accident a while back having a direct effect on gas prices. I guess they felt that residents would just chalk it up to that and out of respect for lives lost just turn their heads and pay the price. If that is the case the oil companies have stooped to an all time low. Right down at the bottom of the barrel along with ambulance chasers and grave robbers.You want to get some attention and make some changes..FLASHMOBS meeting at different locations on different days with signs showing the lower prices at stations in surrounding towns. Their names and directions to them. Peaceful, organized demonstrators getting the point across to these crooks that we aren't going to pay these prices anymore.

At least you have got to admit that the Mayor of New Lenox is one smart politician - Make an announcement at a Village board meeting telling everyone to go buy gas elsewhwere and all of a sudden he is a hero and gets tons of free publicity, never mind the fact that 70% of the residents of his town were already doing what he told them they should do. Oh, and by the way - he really did not do anything to actually get the gas prices lowered.

I work in alsip and gas is always cheaper there ... i will not buy gas in New lenox until the gas gouging stops i'm on the Mayors side thanks Tim...

This is very helpful! Thanks Mayor. I'm definitely not buying in new Lenox again until they lower the price... Sucks that I paid 4.19 dollars the other day... I feel ripped off!

No one is being forced to buy gas in New Lenox or anywhere else, for that matter. Gas prices will fluctuate from community to community, taking into account the demographics, tax structure, location, infrastructure, station size, number of customers, etc. Many drivers avoid stations because they are too small, too dirty, difficult to get into and out of, not just based on gas price. The power of choice doesn't lie with a politician's bloviating, it lies with the consumer. Buyer somewhere else if you don't like the price. Sheesh.

What's funny is I recall about a year back when New Lenox was leading the gas wars charge and was the cheapest around. Wish the mayor would pick his battles, going after local merchants whose businesses fund the tax base is a complete waste of time. How about he explains how homes in New Lenox have lost nearly 30% of their value over the last few years? (check zillow.com)
Driving to another town to buy gas, the buck you might have saved was negated by the gas you used going out of your way to save!

I usually buy my gas in Manteno-Kankakee area because I am in that area frequently. We were on the Southside of Chicago today-Beverly area. They were less expensive than NL!! Mayor, we sincerely appreciate you going to bat for us on this matter!!! Thank you!