Lynbrook, East Rockaway residents aghast at growing gas prices

Motorists have been feeling the impact of inflation at the pump lately, with gas prices soaring.

And amid increased rates to fill their gas tank and Russia’s war on Ukraine, some customers at the Lynbrook Lukoil gas station have begun lashing out at the wrong people.

Lukoil is Russia’s second-largest oil company, but like many Lukoil owners, Ganesh Lall, who operates the station at 510 Scranton Ave. in the village, is a franchisee, so Lukoil and Russia have nothing to do with his operations. Still, he has faced backlash from some customers, with his business decreasing since the invasion started and many of his employees being taunted.

Reached by phone, Lall, who is Guyanese, confirmed that there have been some incidents at his station, but declined to offer specifics or comment further.

Lynbrook resident Shannon Kelly said she would be more wary of how often she drives amid rising gas prices, but added that Lall and the Lukoil station have been “some of the best gentleman that I know.” She recalled that she was driving to pick up her daughter from swim practice recently when both of her headlights went out. She said she was worried that she wouldn’t be able to get them replaced amid her busy schedule as a teacher in the Malverne School District, and only had from 2 to 2:50 p.m. the next day to get them fixed.

“He swapped them out right in the parking lot and had me back to work with time to spare,” she said of Lall. “This is a community member that we need to support.”

Cindy Springsteen said that the Lukoil station is the only place she buys gas, and Theresa Caponi Palladino said Lall and his staff “are the best.”

While many residents have shown support for Lukoil, they are all feeling the effects of soaring gas prices. Responding to a Herald inquiry on Facebook, Dee Frances said she believed that the U.S. should rely on the Keystone Gas Pipeline, an oil pipeline system in Canada and the U.S, rather than other countries.

“My opinion is that we should get this pipeline back up and running,” she wrote. “We have our own resources, we shouldn’t be relying on other countries.”

Jeanne Gillespie Albanese, however, noted that the pipeline was not set to be operational until 2023.

“Even if it was built, it wouldn’t help at all,” she wrote.

The problem is not just occurring locally. Americans everywhere are feeling the shock of the escalating gas prices, which reached a national average of $4.07 last week. It marked an increase of more than 10 percent from the week before. The upticks have been caused by multiple crises, including Russia invading Ukraine, the Covid-19 pandemic and the highest inflation levels in decades, and likely won’t decrease anytime soon as the country still recovers from Covid-19 and Russia’s invasion continues.

In response, the Nassau County Legislature’s Minority Caucus is urging their colleagues in local government to support a proposal that would deliver emergency relief to residents by temporarily suspending the county’s share of sales tax on gasoline.

The plan, revealed last week by Legislature Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams, a Democrat from Freeport, is designed to insulate Nassau residents who are being forced to shoulder rapidly increased costs that are being driven by the war in Ukraine and sanctions that are all but certain to further impact fuel costs in the short term.

Abrams cited analysis that indicates that the reduction in sales tax revenue caused by suspending the county portion of gasoline taxes would have a minimal impact on the county’s projected sales tax surplus for 2022.

County Legislator Debra Mulé , a Democrat from Freeport, voiced her support for the legislation.

“I am fully in favor of America’s efforts to support the Ukrainian people and end this senseless, horrible war,” she said in a statement. “While some of the necessary steps that we have taken will require sacrifice from the American people, this initiative will reduce the pain at the pump for consumers at a critical time. I am hopeful that my colleagues will join with us in advocating for this common-sense approach.”

A time and place for a vote on the proposal has not been finalized.