When you fill your tank with ten gallons of gas, how do you know you're really getting ten gallons? Is the gas station ripping you off? Or how about when you order lunch meat at the deli? Are you getting a pound of balogna or baloney? When you plug a meter for an hour's worth of parking, how can you be sure that you get it?
In Northampton County, the answer to that question consists of three words. Weights and Measures. Northampton County's tiny but busy Department of Weights and Measures protects you from predatory merchants or even municipalities that overcharge for parking. It also protects businesses that could be giving you more than you pay for.
Northampton is one of only 12 counties left with its own Weights and Measures Department. Everywhere else, those functions are now performed by the state Department of Agriculture.
State delays or outright failures to inspect not only expose citizens to fraud, not just from unethical merchants, but from cities like York that was writing parking tickets with uncertified parking meters..
While Lehigh County relies on the state, NorCo includes parking meters in its "to do" list every year. Bethlehem takes three weeks.
Statewide inspectors collected just 109 random fuel samples from retailers throughout the state in 2022, and 6 of those failed. They responded to 77 consumer fuel complaints, and 25 samples failed.
Given the number of retailers and scales throughout the state, that's inadequate.
Last year, NorCo inspected 2,192 small scales and rejected 66. It inspected 3,585 fuel dispensers and rejected 296. It checked 94 oil delivery trucks and rejected 5. It also conducted price verifications at 25 businesses.
Several years ago, three members of NorCo Council (John Cusick, Seth Vaughn and Hayden Phillips) actually wanted to abolish the department.
Then Council President John Cusick not only opposed proposed fee increases, but the Department itself.
"I can't justify having businesses in this County pay these fees and these proposed increases when the form that you handed us says that, for the [state] Department of Agriculture, there would be no charge.... I believe this is a function that should be taken over by the state.""I do not think we need this service, this cost, this additional government in Northampton County," added former Council member Hayden Phillips, arguing instead for "less governmental oversight."
6 comments:
I'm conservative on most things, but I'd say this is a worthwhile expenditure of tax dollars.
Cusick is right. McClure loves to make speeches and pretend he is a populist.
This reminds me of how certain legislators want municipalities to regulate puppy mills. They could easily hire inspectors to visit places across the Commonwealth that advertise online to determine if they are compliant. They rather municipalities ban local pet stores from operating. I simply beleive to be effective, it must be a State function.
As for Weights and Measures, this could be effective at the state level. Should we also be looking a the bi-counity department of health to inspect food establishments? Maybe use some of that hotel tax money instead of the lions share going to DiscoverBethlehem. It appears there are far more food violations that affect a lot more people. Time for a bi county health department to inspect food establishments.
Best way to cure bad gas is sue the living s**t out of the offender and close their business vs them getting off with a fine and going back to peddling bad gas.
There was an instance of a gas station selling contaminated gas in recent years. The place was closed down until the problem was fixed.
Seems great until you understand the cost far outweighs the benefit. A couple of anecdotal stories does not a financial justification make. However, most of governing is about making people feel good while you're making them broke - and then relying on toady blogsters to perform your PR. Carry on. All is right with the world today.
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