Governor Brian Kemp announced Wednesday morning he would extend the state’s gas tax holiday for one more month through Monday, September 12th.
The tax suspension saves Georgians about 30 cents per gallon for gas and 33 cents per gallon for diesel.
Gas prices have been slowly on the decline during the last few weeks. According to AAA, the current average for gas across Georgia is $3.74 a gallon compared to the national average of $4.18 a gallon.
A month ago, the average price of gas across the state was $4.33.
“With 40-year high inflation, gas prices that are still far too high, and supply chains strained under the weight of bad decisions, hardworking residents of the Peach State have been feeling the consequences of Joe Biden’s recession long before it was announced,” Kemp said in a statement.
According to the Georgia Department of Revenue, the state collects a little less than $0.29 per gallon in taxes.
Meanwhile, Stacey Abrams has called for a one-year tax suspension while characterizing Governor Kemp’s move as a cheap political stunt.
“I have repeatedly called for suspending the gas tax through 2022, but today Brian Kemp again refused to provide Georgians with the stability they deserve,” Abrams said on Twitter.
President Joe Biden and Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock each have called for the suspension of the federal gas tax.
In February, Senator Warnock introduced the Gas Prices Relief Act. The goal of the Senator’s plan is to reduce high gas prices and deliver economic relief to Georgians and Americans across the country by:
- Suspending the 18.4 cents per gallon federal gas tax (24.3 cents per gallon on diesel fuel) until January 1, 2023
- Passing tax savings to Americans and not oil and gas companies by requiring the Secretary of the Treasury to monitor the program to ensure companies pass along savings at pump to consumers
- Maintaining the integrity of the Highway Trust Fund by requiring the Department of the Treasury to make general fund transfers to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent
“Whether it’s working to ease supply chain issues, crack down on corporate greed, or cap out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs, I’m committed to lowering rising costs for Georgia families,” said Senator Warnock. “Hardworking Georgians being squeezed at the pump understand that every penny counts, and the Gas Prices Relief Act is my latest effort to help working and middle class families overcome the economic pressures of the pandemic, and come out on top.”