Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed an executive order Tuesday declaring a state of emergency in the Peach State due to high inflation, which included temporarily suspending the state’s excise tax on motor and locomotive fuel.
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Calling the gas tax an unsustainable way to fund transportation infrastructure, the Ohio Department of Transportation is studying its options.
Using a $4 million federal grant, Ohio developed a website to seek public opinion on potential funding options. Those results will eventually be forwarded to the General Assembly later this year, according to a promotional video produced by ODOT.
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Pennsylvania’s gas tax is a major funding source for the upkeep and repair of roads and bridges across the state.
It’s also one of the highest gas taxes across the nation.
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Governor Brian Kemp allowed Georgia’s moratorium on state gas and diesel taxes to expire on Tuesday night, after first introducing the moratorium in May and renewing it six times since then.
In 2022, Georgia’s gas tax was 29.1 cents and the diesel tax at 32.6 cents, but that’s going up on Wednesday to 31.2 cents and 35 cents, respectively. As of January 10, before the taxes took effect, Georgia’s average gas price was $2.808, below the national average of $3.270, according to AAA Gas Prices.
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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has signed an extension of the state’s motor fuel and locomotive fuel tax.
The governor also extended the supply chain state of emergency. The tax suspension and state of emergency run until Jan. 10.
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Georgia hasn’t collected its gas tax since March, as Gov. Brian Kemp has signed a series of legislation and executive orders to place a moratorium on collections.
“Those prices have a huge impact on the economy as a whole,” National Federation of Independent Business Region Director Nathan Humphrey told The Center Square. “On top of all the other issues that small businesses were particularly struggling with from supply chain, inflation and [the] overall cost of doing business, the margins were just super tight, so when that hit, it really provided necessary relief.”
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Connecticut motorists will continue to see relief at the pumps after the state Legislature approved an extension of the gas tax holiday until next year.
Meeting in a special session on Monday, the Democrat controlled House and Senate approved a proposal to waive the 25 cents per gallon retail tax on gasoline until Dec. 31. The gas tax holiday, which was initially approved in April, was set to expire Nov. 30.
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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has signed an extension of the state’s gas tax moratorium, saying such a move is needed because of a potential diesel fuel shortage.
The extension runs through Dec. 11.
Kemp also extended the locomotive fuel tax moratorium and a supply chain state of emergency. The governor, who is in the middle of a reelection campaign against Democrat Stacey Abrams, squarely placed the blame for high gas prices on President Joe Biden’s policies.
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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has extended the suspension of the state’s collection of taxes on motor and locomotive fuel.
The governor also extended the supply chain state of emergency. Both orders will be effective through Nov. 11, shortly after the election.
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Georgia continues to see increasing revenues, new numbers show.
The state’s total general fund receipts in August exceeded $2.3 billion. That represents an increase of 8.5%, or $180.4 million, over last August when net tax collections topped $2.1 billion.
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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has again extended the suspension of state taxes on motor and locomotive fuel.
On Thursday, Kemp signed an executive order to suspend the taxes and extend a supply chain state of emergency. The orders are valid through Oct. 12.
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Governor Brian Kemp (R) signed two executive orders on Wednesday that extended the gas tax suspension and renewed the state of emergency for supply chain disruptions. These executive orders will be effective through September 12th.
“I have extended the temporary suspension of the state’s motor fuel tax to alleviate the financial burden placed on Georgians due to the federal government’s gross mishandling of inflation,” Gov. Kemp said.
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Governor Glenn Youngkin hit 49 percent job approval and 38 percent disapproval in a new poll from the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). The poll included questions focused on key budget policy debates, and reports 58 percent support a three-month gas tax suspension.
“The responses in the poll suggest what I have always stated: The people are always ahead of the leaders,” former Governor Doug Wilder said in a press release. “The grocery tax proposal is very receptive; gas tax suspension and/or stipend is greeted positively, which can be viewed as a direct response to rising inflation.”
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The America Rising PAC (ARPAC) recently spoke with the Arizona Sun Times via email, criticizing Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) for supporting a federal gas holiday that would ultimately, the say, undermine infrastructure funding for Arizona.
“This is another example of why Mark Kelly shouldn’t be sent back to Washington. Not only does his ineffective gas tax suspension undermine the one legislative accomplishment he’s writing home about – Arizona wouldn’t even need a gas tax holiday if it wasn’t for the Democrats’ anti-American energy agenda that drove gas prices to record-breaking levels in the first place,” said ARPAC Press Secretary Whitney Robertson.
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Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced an additional extension of the suspension of the state’s gas tax—an effort to curb high prices.
Kemp first enacted the suspension on March 18, signing legislation passed by the General Assembly.
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While President Joe Biden this week began urging Congress to suspend the national gas tax for three months and asking states to do the same with their gas levies, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) came out against the idea.
The federal government charges gasoline buyers $0.18 per gallon and diesel motorists $0.24 per gallon. The Buckeye State meanwhile imposes a $0.385-per-gallon tax on gasoline as well as a $0.47-per-gallon tax on diesel and other fuel types. Both levels of government use the revenues from these sources to fund transportation projects. Biden maintains that dollars flowing to the U.S. Treasury are sufficient to prevent compromising federal highway repairs in the event of a three-month tax holiday.
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President Joe Biden is calling for a three-month suspension of the federal gas tax less than a week after Virginia Senate Democrats and one Republican killed Governor Glenn Youngkin’s efforts to enact a suspension of Virginia’s fuel tax. Virginia Republicans took to social media on Wednesday to react to Biden’s proposal. “Now, the White House is calling on states to move forward on gas tax suspensions – demonstrating that VA Senate Dems are out of step with everyday people and their own party,” Youngkin tweeted. “Gas prices are not sustainable for families in Virginia, and it is astonishing that Senate Democrats blocked my gas relief proposal three times and squandered the opportunity to do the right thing. Virginians deserved a better answer than ‘no.’” Biden’s proposal isn’t a done deal. Some federal Democrats have similar concerns Virginia Democrats had. They said the gas tax pays for highway maintenance and is a fairly small part of many people’s budgets, and worried that lowering the gas tax won’t change the supply problem that’s causing the prices to increase but would just enrich petroleum corporations. Some federal Republicans aren’t on board either. “President Biden said he was going to shut down American energy,…
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RICHMOND, Virginia — The Virginia General Assembly approved many of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s budget amendments on Friday, but in mostly-partisan votes, killed his efforts to expand a ban on using state tax dollars on abortions, and to create a three-month gas tax holiday. Additionally, House Republicans and Democrats killed an amendment that would have made it a felony to protest outside courts and justices’ homes to influence proceedings.
Youngkin criticized the defeat of the gas tax holiday on Twitter: “Democrats failed to put politics aside for the good of Virginians — for a third time.”
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Governor Glenn Youngkin is sending 35 budget amendments to the General Assembly to approve on Friday, including a gas tax holiday, a ban on using state Medicaid funds for some abortions, and a law that would make it a class six felony to picket or demonstrate outside a courthouse or residences of justices and judges. The Democratic Senate is expected to block of Youngkin’s controversial changes, but eyes are on Senator Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond) to see if he’ll vote with Republicans to approve the abortion funding ban.
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In an exclusive press statement obtained by The Tennessee Star, TN-5 Republican primary candidate Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles called for the Democrat-controlled U.S. House and U.S. Senate to immediately pass a 90-day moratorium on federal gasoline and diesel taxes.
“The absurd and destructive energy policies of the Biden Administration and the Democrat-controlled House and Senate, are producing the highest gas and diesel prices in history!” Ogles said. “As Democrats refuse to consider returning to the pre-Biden energy policies that had gas prices in the $2.20 range, the least they can do is give families a break this summer as we struggle with the Biden-flation caused by his inept and misguided energy and economic policies.”
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Georgia’s governor Thursday extended the state’s gas tax holiday amid record-high prices at the pump.
“While President Biden continues to enforce an out-of-touch agenda with damaging effects, we’re responding to record-high inflation and addressing supply chain issues by empowering Georgians to keep their money in their own pockets and keep goods flowing,” Gov. Brian Kemp said on Twitter.
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RICHMOND, Virginia – The Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee voted to kill Governor Glenn Youngkin’s gas tax holiday proposal, launching the General Assembly’s veto session. Later in the day legislators spent hours voting on Youngkin’s various amendments and vetoes to their legislation.
Finance and Appropriations Committee Chair Janet Howell (D-Fairfax) spoke against the gas tax holiday bill, and said that the phased gas tax increases in 2020 were part of a bipartisan effort to provide long term transportation funding solutions.
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House Finance Committee Republicans advanced Governor Glenn Youngkin’s gas tax holiday bill and killed Democrats’ alternate $50-per-car tax refund proposal on Tuesday. The bill includes a 100-percent motor fuels tax reduction from May 1 through July 31, a 50 percent reduction in August, and a 25 percent reduction in September. It also includes a two percent cap on future annual rate adjustments.
“As I testified to the House and the Senate early in the year, we have an exceptional amount of revenue that we did not expect a couple of years ago in the transportation plan. Over the six years it’s in the billions of dollars. And obviously, the governor has made a pledge to try to get some of the revenue back to the citizens who’ve contributed to the Commonwealth, particularly in this time of high inflation and economic trouble,” Secretary of Transportation Sheppard “Shep” Miller III told the committee.
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Georgia’s governor is touting lower gas prices one month after he signed into law a bill suspending the state’s tax on gasoline.
“A month ago, I signed HB304 to temporarily suspend the state gas tax and help counter Biden-flation at the pump,” Gov. Brian Kemp (R) said on Twitter. “This week, the price of an avg. gallon in GA was down 57 cents. We’ll keep doing our part to lessen the impact of failed policies on Georgians’ wallets.”
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While Connecticut’s gas tax holiday is saving residents at the pump, the savings just isn’t enough, one industry expert says.
Chris Herb, president of the Connecticut Energy Marketers Association, said the tax holiday that expires June 30 is viewed very highly from consumers.
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Connecticut Attorney General William Tong is investigating dozens of potential violations of the state’s gas tax holiday by gas stations throughout the state.
If a specific station is found to have violated the law, the Attorney General’s office may impose penalties, including injunctive terms, restitution, and civil financial penalties.
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Senator Steve Newman (R-Bedford) and freshman Delegate Tara Durant (R-Stafford) have introduced the Youngkin administration’s three-month gasoline tax holiday bill. In addition to the tax holiday, the bill includes a two percent cap on the annual rate adjustment, which is based on the consumer price index.
“There are so many hard-working Virginians who need some type of break at the gas pump right now. Governor Youngkin is leading by putting forward a bill, which I’m proud to sponsor in the Senate of Virginia, that will temporarily suspend the Virginia gas tax,” Newman told The Virginia Star in a statement.
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Connecticut’s plan to reduce the pain at the gas pump for its residents took effect Friday.
HB 5501 passed the state legislature last week. It, like laws in many other states, provides for a gas tax holiday as prices at the pump continue to hover at near record levels.
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Virginia’s governor is once again proposing a suspension of the state’s gas tax as prices at the pump remain near record highs.
“It’s time for us to give Virginians a break, and we’re going to work hard to suspend the gas tax,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) said in a Tuesday interview with Fox News Radio. “I’ve got to send a bill down to our legislature, which I’ll call back into special session, and we’re going to get them working on this.”
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After a swift and unanimous passage through both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) is expected to sign into law a bill that will temporarily suspend the state’s tax on gasoline.
HB 304 would take effect on May 31. Kemp is reportedly expected to sign the bill, which will alleviate prices at the pump to the tune of 28 cents per gallon. It had not been signed as of Friday afternoon.
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HENRICO, Virginia – Governor Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday that he wants the General Assembly to pass a bill suspending Virginia’s 26.2 gas tax and 27-cent diesel tax for three months, spanning May, June, and July. That’s a pivot from his campaign promise to suspend the five-cent gas-tax price increase for a year, a proposal that the Senate opposed. Youngkin said rising gas prices predate Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine and the economic impact from sanctions placed on Russia.
“We saw of course prior to that was gas prices in Virginia had gone up a dollar. And they’ve gone up another 80 cents, and this is just part of the inflationary pressures that Virginians are feeling all over,” Youngkin told reporters after pumping gas for a few supporters.
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Gov. Ned Lamont (D) this week proposed a holiday from the state’s 25-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax to last through the month of June.
He said he does not believe the gas-tax break can be extended beyond July 1 insofar as Connecticut’s acceptance of federal funds under President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) restricts the state as to how much it can reduce taxes. The governor also voiced concern that a longer tax holiday would compromise the state’s ability to fund transportation. The gas tax’s suspension will cost the state over $90 million.
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Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Bellefonte) proposed lowering the state’s gas tax levels in order to ease the burden on consumers.
Corman’s legislation, known as the Consumer Gas Prices Relief Act, would reduce the state’s liquid fuels tax by one-third through the end of 2022, cutting roughly 20 cents per gallon off the price.
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The Michigan House on Wednesday voted 63-39 on a bill aiming to suspend the state’s 27.2-cent per gallon fuel tax for six months.
For the first time since 2008, gas prices broke $4 per gallon nationwide.
If passed by the Senate and signed into law, House Bill 5570 would suspend the state fuel tax on gas, diesel, and alternative fuels starting April 1, 2022, through September 30, 2022.
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In a tough reelection battle this year, Gov. Tim Walz is changing his tune on gas taxes.
The Minnesotan joined five other Democratic governors urging the U.S. Congress to suspend the federal gas tax amid soaring prices at the pump caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and President Joe Biden’s ban on importing Russian oil this week.
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Florida Lawmakers, amid budget discussions, agreed to include $200 million in federal stimulus money to grant Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) request for a state gas tax break. House Appropriations Chairman and State Rep. Jay Trumbull (R-Panama City) and Senate Appropriations Chairwoman and State Sen. Kelli Stargel (R-Lakeland) made the agreement late Wednesday night.
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Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced that he plans to work with the Georgia General Assembly to temporarily suspend the state’s excise tax on motor fuel sales, according to a Wednesday statement by Kemp’s office.
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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers joined other Democratic governors and sent a letter to Congressional leadership, urging the federal lawmakers to pass legislation to suspend the federal gas tax.
The legislation, introduced by Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and known as the Gas Prices Relief Act, would terminate the 18 cents per gallon gas tax that individuals pay, temporarily lowering the prices for consumers.
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Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced his plan to combat rising gas prices in his state Monday while delivering a speech to ChamberRVA.
During his speech, the Governor blamed the current energy price hikes as results of bad energy policies at the federal level. Youngkin also admitted that inflation could not be fixed through the actions of one state’s governor alone, however, continued his push to suspend Virginia’s gas tax increase for one year.
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In an effort led by Senator and Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), several Democrat Senators in battleground states have signed on to a bill that would suspend the gas tax until 2023.
The Gas Prices Relief Act would lower prices at the pump as gas prices rise to nearly a decade high in a crucial election season.
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Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) on Thursday introduced a bill to suspend the federal gas tax through the end of the year, amid surging prices due to inflation.
The legislation, known as the Gas Prices Relief Act, would terminate the 18 cents per gallon gas tax that individuals pay, temporarily lowering the prices for consumers.
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Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine wants state lawmakers to put the brakes on lowering the state gas tax, saying infrastructure upgrades are needed around the state and those projects create jobs.
A state senator pushing to scale back the tax to pre-2019 levels for at least five years believes now is the right time, however.
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An Ohio state senator wants to lower the state’s gasoline tax to pre-2019 levels for the next five years, but a panel of state economists believe the plan is a bad idea.
Sen. Stephen Huffman, R-Tipp City, believes Ohioans could use the break, especially when the federal government has committed to giving the state 10 times more revenue over the same time span than the gas tax traditionally generates.
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A member of the Tennessee State House of Representatives filed a bill Wednesday to repeal the state’s gas tax.
“The working people of Tennessee are getting hammered by inflation and horrendous energy policy that has caused gas prices to sky rocket! All thanks to the I’m competence of Joe Biden and the Democrats in DC,” Rep. Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) told The Tennessee Star. “Tennessee is currently running monthly budget surpluses is in the hundreds of millions of dollars over projected budgeted revenues. This gas tax repeal is a way to try to help working Tennesseans and all those Tennesseans paying bother prices at the pump.
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Amid the rising cost people across the country are paying at the pump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Monday his proposal for $1 billion in gas tax relief, which will be discussed by state lawmakers during the legislative session of 2022.
According to DeSantis Office, if approved, the proposal – or as stated, “gas tax holiday” – would save up to $200 on average per family.
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Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D) is calling on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) to suspend Florida’s gas taxes as gas prices increase.
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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp extended the state’s temporary suspension of the fuel tax through May 22 as Colonial Pipeline works to become fully operational after a cyberattack.
Kemp issued an executive order Monday that suspended the gas tax, increased weight limits for trucks transporting fuel and prohibited price gouging. The order was set to expire Saturday before Kemp extended it Friday.
“While Colonial Pipeline is now operational, the company has informed the public that it will be a few days until full service is available statewide,” Kemp said in a statement. “This executive order will ensure fuel supply chains have every resource needed to deliver gas quickly and safely, and that Georgians aren’t hit with state gas taxes at the pump during this shortage. I continue to ask Georgians to only purchase the fuel they need for essential travel through the upcoming weekend.”
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Gov. Brian Kemp (R) Tuesday signed an executive order temporarily eliminating the Peach State’s gas tax, among other measures, after a cyber attack on the Colonial Pipeline has halted gas flow to much of the southeast.
“Today I signed an executive order suspending the gas tax in Georgia to help with higher prices as a result of the Colonial cyber attack. We are working closely with Colonial and expect for them to recover by the end of the week,” Kemp said on Twitter, attaching an official statement from his office.
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Despite traffic on state highways, roads and bridges decreasing significantly in 2020, the Ohio Department of Transportation expects to spend nearly $2 billion in the next year on nearly 1,000 projects.
Traffic volume fell by 15.5% during the past year as the COVID-19 pandemic limited road travel, ODOT said. More people worked from home. Stay-at-home health orders, capacity limits, business closures and statewide curfews also reigned in optional travel.
Despite the limited driving, which also leads to less fuel consumption and less taxpayer money available, ODOT pointed to a 2019 gas tax increase, along with budget cuts, for staving off what could have billon a $3 billion swing in taxpayer money for the department.
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Every U.S. state taxes fuel sales to fund road repairs.
Fully half of them, however, divert a portion of those taxes for other purposes. And Michigan, with a gas-tax diversion rate (GTDR) of 33.9 percent, is ranked with New Jersey as the third highest GTDR in the nation. Only New York (37.5 percent) and Rhode Island (37.1 percent) have higher GTDRs.
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