Pennsylvania Senate Democrats met Wednesday to call on their Republican counterparts to suspend the state gas tax just hours later. President Joe Biden called state governments to do it
Pennsylvania’s gas tax is approximately 58 cents per gallon of gasoline, the highest in the nation. With the average cost of gasoline in the state topping $5 a gallon last week, according to AAA, Democratic senators say they’re looking to provide relief to Pennsylvanians at the pump.
“We are calling on our colleagues in the General Assembly, and Republicans in particular, to join us in suspending our gas tax for three months,” said Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Allegheny County. .
A combination of suspending the state and federal gas tax would lower the price per gallon by about 75 cents in Pennsylvania.
Revenue from the tax goes primarily to repairing the state’s roads and bridges, but Costa said the state has an opportunity to fund those projects with the state budget surplus while lowering the cost of gasoline for motorists with the suspension of the tax.
Senate Democratic leadership says June state revenue is through the roof and the state could see the budget surplus reach $9 billion by the end of this month. Suspending the tax for three months would cost about $950 million, according to the state Senate Democratic appropriations staff.
“These are the largest dollar amounts the state has ever had,” said Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia. “We have that money available right now to relieve that pressure.”
Added Senator Sharif Street, D-Philadelphia: “It’s time to free up funds to use to help ordinary Pennsylvanians. We need Republicans to join us, put aside partisan hard feelings and really do something for the people of Pennsylvania.”
Along with that, Democrats are calling on oil and gas companies to pass on the savings from the proposed tax holidays to consumers.
“We have to make sure corporations don’t raise the rate after the gas tax is to be eased,” said Sen. Katie Muth, D-Montgomery County. “We have to hold these companies accountable. That has to be the cornerstone of any solution we push.”
Democrats blame their Republican counterparts who control the legislative calendar for stalling action on gas tax exemption bills that Democrats have introduced in the chamber.
Beth Rementer, a spokeswoman for Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, said the governor also supports efforts to suspend the gas tax.
“The Governor recognizes that gas prices across the country are having an increasing impact on Pennsylvanians,” Rementer said. “The governor has long called for a elimination of the state tax on gasoline and enact a federal gas tax exemption. The administration would review legislation that would address this issue, and indeed the legislature has legislation that would address this at the state level, but the Republican majority controls the legislative agenda and there has been no movement on this issue.”
Senate Republican Speaker Erica Clayton Wright blamed Biden’s climate agenda for the effect it has had on record gasoline prices and skyrocketing energy prices, as well as rising fuel prices. food and scarcity.
“At the state level, Republicans are working diligently to pass a state budget that makes historic investments in our people to help weather these turbulent economic trends rather than engage in horseplay that serves as a veil to cover up the challenges ahead,” Wright said. “The unpredictability of our national economy and global position over the next two years demands that we be responsible with how we invest in our state so that we can position our people and our commonwealth economy to recover.”
Based on state Republican leadership, it would appear that consideration of a gas tax suspension should be open, but the Senate’s inaction tells another story.
In March, Senate President Acting Sen. Jake Corman, R-Centre County, introduced a bill that would reduce the state gas tax by about 20 cents a gallon. He has been stuck in the Senate Transportation Committee since March 21.
Senator Doug Mastriano, R-Franklin County, the Republican candidate for governor, proposed a gasoline tax cut from last year.
During the gubernatorial primary race, Mastriano tweeted: “The gas tax exemption will also stimulate the rest of our economy by lowering the cost of travel. I have heard from voters living paycheck to paycheck temporarily postponing road trip plans to other parts of our state due to skyrocketing gas prices.”
Still, his proposals, as well as others calling for a suspension of the gasoline tax, have sat in committee for weeks.
“We don’t control this process, the Republicans control it,” Costa said. “And we’re asking them to work with us to be able to do that. So if they don’t, it’s not up to us, it’s up to them.”
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro has also referred to high gas prices on the campaign trail. He suggests giving a one-time $250 per-vehicle gas rebate to anyone with a Pennsylvania-registered vehicle, up to four vehicles per household.
Plus:
Pennsylvania moves closer to having a bigger role in deciding the winner of the presidential primary
Stimulus Check Update: Is the Biden Administration Sending More Relief for Rising Gas Prices?
Reference-www.pennlive.com