Elected state leaders have turned their attention toward a gas tax holiday to offer at least some relief to drivers amid all-time high prices at the pump.
The average price of a gallon of regular gas rose to $4.32 on Thursday, the highest average ever recorded, according to the automobile owners club AAA. Prices have risen roughly 84 cents from one month ago, before Russia invaded Ukraine.
With energy costs expected to continue rising in the wake of the U.S. banning Russian oil imports, there is a renewed push by governors and lawmakers in several states to provide gas tax holidays at the national and state levels. The federal gas tax is 18.4 cents per gallon.
The list of officials pushing for state gas tax relief includes Republican leaders in Michigan and Pennsylvania, as well as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat.
The Democratic governors of Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have all urged congressional leaders to suspend the federal gas tax via legislation, a move that few members of Congress have previously supported.
Many states have gas taxes that far exceed the national rate, such as Pennsylvania, which has a 57.6 cent tax per gallon and is the highest in the nation.
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
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