How states are tackling midterm pump pain
States are taking on the stubbornly high fuel prices squeezing Americans ahead of the midterm elections , pushing through tax holidays and other tactics to offer relief while federal efforts have stalled. Why it matters: With November 3 less than 30 days away, the political stakes of those price-lowering levers — even if the relief is only modest — are surging amid sky-high costs. While several…
As midterm elections approach, states across the U.S. are taking steps to alleviate the financial burden of high fuel prices on their residents. With federal efforts to suspend the fuel tax stalled, governors have been implementing their own measures. Ohio's Governor Mike DeWine (R) recently signed a law suspending the state's gas tax for 90 days, garnering bipartisan support.
Georgia was the first state to suspend fuel taxes in March, followed by at least five other states, including Ohio, Georgia, Utah, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana, either suspending, lowering, or postponing tax increases. These actions aim to provide temporary relief to consumers, even though the long-term benefits remain uncertain due to potential deficits and impacts on the Highway Trust Fund.
While the federal government has not yet acted on a gas tax holiday proposal, political winds may be shifting as the election nears, with drivers and truckers still grappling with the effects of rising fuel costs.
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