ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Memorial Day may have passed, but high gas prices are still in the Capital Region and beyond. Vida Murdock traveled to the Regional Food Bank today to get food for the Capital City Agape Center Food Pantry in Albany with a U-Haul. She said gas for that trip is getting more expensive, and it could affect her organization’s operating hours at a time where more people are coming in for food.
“It used to be $20. Now it’s close to $30 or $40 to fill it to return the U-Haul back,” said Murdock. “We’re going to have to try to figure out economically how we can do things better with the prices going up.”
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High gas prices are being felt in the Regional Food Bank itself as well. CEO Tom Nardacci told NEWS10 his organization is paying 50% more per month on fuel than this time last year, equaling roughly 30,000 less meals the food bank can provide.
“At the food bank, we’re spending an extra $10,000 a month right now on fuel,” said Nardacci. “If we spend the money on fuel, at this rate, it’s less money we have to buy food, and that’s something that’s a choice that we hate that we have to make that. But in order to operate, it’s just an expense unfortunately that we’re stuck with.”
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With gas prices so high, the Capital District Transportation Authority has seen a roughly 12% increase in riders. CEO Frank Annicaro said his organization bought gas for the year at a fixed price, meaning they’re not feeling the effects of gas prices, but inflation is an issue. As a result, CDTA and other upstate transit agencies are asking for a 15% increase in state funding to keep pace with inflationary pressures, paying employees and buying parts…