What’s up with grocery prices?
What’s up with grocery prices?
I recently moved back to the Mahoning Valley after living in the Houston, Texas, area for 31 years. As a single father of three I have done a lot of grocery shopping over the years. Having been back in the Valley for eight months, I am appalled at the grocery prices here.
When shopping I consistently pay at least 25 percent higher prices here compared with Houston. This is not including meats and fresh vegetables which are subject to grading and price variance due to local availability, respectively. I am referring to bottled/canned goods, frozen foods, and dried goods. Even when pricing store brands, generic, or “off” brands, prices are consistently 25 percent or more higher than Houston.
Land/rent prices here are greatly depressed, utility prices about the same as Houston, and it seems as though retail food wages are the same also. (I’ve asked a few grocery store employees here about this).
Based on my observations I can only conclude that local grocers are gouging Valley residents. Perhaps local residents and the Vindicator should begin scrutinizing some local private business practices with the same zeal devoted to every public dollar spent.
Francis P. Cleary Jr., Youngstown
Paving is a mystery
I can’t understand the latest paving program on I-680. The road is falling apart after a year and a half after the paving program. The north bound ramps from South Avenue will jar the fillings out of your teeth. Why are we paving the shoulders of the road? Perhaps we will be able to start drawing on them. Who sets the priorities on these projects.
We have the same problems on the Westside. Side streets are getting repaved while Oakwood and Connecticut, two through streets are falling apart. Connecticut was so bad last winter, I would not drive on it.
Stanley Rydarowicz, Youngstown