Joe Biden has caused gas prices to skyrocket.
An 18-month chart shows rising US gas prices coincide with Biden taking office.
Now, GOP-led states are taking matters into their own hands.
They’re cutting gas taxes to offset the rise in price.
Decades-high inflation was already giving Americans a headache. Then came Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which sent gas prices soaring.
Now, blue and red states alike are embracing a solution that makes for great headlines: cutting gas taxes.
As federal action languishes on the issue, some states are quickly moving to suspend their own fuel taxes to counter price shocks at the pump. Governors and state lawmakers, in the midst of an election year, say it’s necessary relief for drivers.
In Maryland, GOP Governor Larry Hogan has enacted a 30-day gas tax suspension.
Maryland became the first state in the nation Friday to enact a temporary suspension of its gas tax, in an effort to curb rising prices at the pump.
Gov. Larry Hogan signed emergency legislation declaring a 30-day gas tax holiday following its unanimous approval by the Maryland House and Senate. The pause on Maryland’s gas tax of 36 cents per gallon, effective immediately, means a driver with a 12-gallon tank would save about $4.32 a fill-up.
“This, of course, is not going to be a cure-all,” Hogan said at a bill signing ceremony on Friday afternoon. “Market instability will continue to lead to fluctuations in prices, but we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to provide immediate relief for Marylanders.”
In Georgia, GOP Governor Brian Kemp suspended the gas tax through May.
Gov. Brian Kemp has signed a law suspending Georgia’s fuel tax through May 31.
Lawmakers in both chambers of the General Assembly approved House Bill 304 without opposition.
They were seeking to give motorists a break from high gas prices.
Georgia’s gasoline price includes a federal tax of 18.4 cents per gallon and a state tax of 29.1 cents per gallon.
Florida agreed to suspend the gas tax — but the change will not go into effect until October.
Florida drivers will receive some relief at the gas pump, but it won’t be coming anytime soon.
State lawmakers on Wednesday agreed to suspend the state’s gas tax but not until October.
They said the move was made until later in the year because that is when fewer tourists are coming to the state, hoping to benefit more local residents than out-of-state visitors.
Now, even Dem Governors are are pushing for Congress to suspend the federal gas tax — so far, their efforts have been blocked by Democrats in Congress.
Democratic governors in Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Mexico, Colorado, Minnesota and Wisconsin have all backed a congressional effort to suspend the 18.4-cent federal gas tax until next year. But the measure has stalled in Congress as Democrats fear losing the revenue would cut into President Joe Biden’s signature infrastructure bill passed last year.
Lawmakers in Maine are now discussing the idea of suspending the state’s gas tax.
As prices jump as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, a state lawmaker is looking to provide some relief.
Republican Rep. Laurel Libby of Auburn submitted an emergency after-deadline bill Sunday that would suspend the state gas tax for the rest of 2022. She would pay for it using Maine’s $1.2 billion budget surplus. The state gas tax in Maine is currently 30 cents per gallon.
“This is a policy that will help Maine families and Maine businesses.,” Libby told WMTW News 8. “I think it just makes sense to use some of that excess revenue from Maine people to benefit Maine people at the pump.”
An attempt to suspend Washington State’s gas tax has failed multiple times due to Democrats blocking it.
Democrats in Olympia rejected the idea of suspending Washington state’s gas tax as prices at the pump rise.
Senate Majority Chair Andy Billig (D-Spokane) said suspending the gas tax would only help oil companies. The state’s gas tax is just over 49 cents per gallon and one of the highest in the country.
In January through Senate Bill 5897, Republican senators proposed replacing the gas tax with $15 billion in state surplus funds. The bill never made it out of committee.
While GOP-led states take action, Dem states dither.