SLO County DA cracking down on price gouging
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. - San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow outlined the way his office is cracking down on price gouging Tuesday as the coronavirus pandemic continued.
"Since Governor Newsom declared the State of Emergency on March 4, 2020, our office has made the prevention of price gouging in San Luis Obispo County a top priority. We are receiving complaints from our citizens every day, and we are investigating each one," said Dow in a press release.
Dow said his office has asked the community to come forward with complaints and that businesses have received warnings price gouging laws will be enforced.
Dow said the top new products for retail businesses in the month of April were face masks and hand sanitizers and that he expected to hear more complaints about prices increasing for those items.
He said most businesses in the county have been doing their best to keep prices down. There are some exceptions to the rules if businesses can prove their own cost increased.
Dow said his main goal as of Tuesday was to get the word out about changes to price gouging laws and to make it clear his office would prosecute businesses that don't comply.
Price gouging is considered a misdemeanor. Violators can face up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $10,000 as well as civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.
Dow also noted Governor Gavin Newsom's most recent Executive Order on price-gouging, which makes it illegal to hike prices by more than 10 percent. The new order updated the date that was used to determine price hikes. The cost can't be more than 10 percent higher than what it was on February 4, 2020 rather than the previous enforcement date of March 4, 2020. It also says a price is considered "unconscionably excessive" if it is marked up by more than 50 percent.
The order covers goods and services including food, consumer goods, emergency supplies, medical supplies, building materials, gasoline, transportation, freight and storage services, hotel accomodations, and rental housing.
San Luis Obispo County residents can report price gouging by calling Dow's office at 805-781-5800 or by emailing sloconsumercomplaint@co.slo.ca.us.
