Climbing fuel prices contribute to sales drop

Fuel sales at the Portales Municipal Airport dropped 24 percent in September compared to five years ago.

"The start of this year was horrendous," said airport general services Director Mike Parkey. "October through March was the slowest I've ever seen it."

In September 2007, 2,610 gallons of fuel were sold and that number has gradually dropped with 1,975 gallons being sold in September 2012.

Parkey said climbing fuel prices are a factor but is still baffled that business has been so low.

"Fuel prices were up a little bit but it just seems nobody is taking a chance," Parkey said. "People just aren't flying at all."

In recent months, Parkey said most of their business comes from cross-country flights but he hasn't seen anything near 2007 numbers.

"2007 was really good," Parkey said. "We were busy, we had activity and we just lost that activity for whatever reason."

While fuel sales are down at the airport, billing supervisor for city accounts, Karen Chandler, says the population continues to grow on the increase in water customers.

Although the increases are small, Chandler says the number of customers from September 2007 from 4,901 water customers to 5,088 in September was quite the boom compared to the increase from 2004 to 2007.

"I guarantee you there will be 200 more customers next September," Chandler said, adding that the city only gained 16 customers from 2004 to 2007. "You can definitely see the growth."

Water customers:

• 2012:5,088
• 2011: 5,043
• 2007: 4,901

Gas customers:

• 2012: 2,863
• 2011: 2,873
• 2010: 2,937

Building permits:

• 2012: 12
• 2011: 5
• 2007: 4

Gross receipts (August):

• 2012: $18.2 million
• 2011: $35.5 million
• 2007: $31.9 million

Gallons of fuel at Portales Municipal Airport:

• 2012: 1,975
• 2011: 2,100
• 2007: 2,610

Lodgers' tax collected:

• 2012: $11,243
• 2011: $9,906
• 2007: $7,446