Legislative Democrats are continuing their push for a break on gasoline costs for West Virginians, suggesting Maryland has already shown how that can be done.
“We’re trying to do our homework and show the people of West Virginia this is something we can do,” Senator Richard Lindsay, D-Kanawha, said today on MetroNews’ “Talkline.”
What are State Senators going to call for today regarding the gas tax reduction? @rlindsaywv8 lays out a few points that will be discussed. Senator Lindsay joins @HoppyKercheval. WATCH: https://t.co/yCFQ3nDJuy pic.twitter.com/r0DnMflzG3
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) March 30, 2022
The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in West Virginia is $4.073 right now, according to AAA.
Lindsay and other Democrats had another press conference at noon today, reiterating their support for a gas tax holiday or some other relief while gasoline prices are at historically high levels.
The Democrats have been urging a break since March 18. Other state leaders, like Gov. Jim Justice, have said suspending the tax on gasoline could disrupt the revenue that goes to West Virginia’s Road Fund and, potentially, violate covenants on highway bonds.
State officials in Maryland temporarily lifted the gas tax there starting March 18.
Lindsay and the other West Virginia Democrats today said they reached out to counterparts in Maryland to learn more about how that state provided the relief without violating bond covenants.
“Maryland is our neighbor, and we reached out to them to figure out how we navigate this particular issue. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that they too have road bonds. The road bond covenant that Maryland has and the road bond covenant that we have in West Virginia are substantially similar. Not identical. Substantially similar,” Lindsay said at today’s press conference.
“Their covenant’s similar to ours, and we should be able to get it done.”
The Democrats at today’s press briefing said they would be happy to work with the Republican legislative majorities and with Governor Justice to provide a break.
Delegate Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, said he believes the governor’s emergency powers, which haven’t been suspended since the covid-19 pandemic hit, give him the authority right now to temporarily pause the gas tax. “Now, I would argue that giving instant relief to people at the gas pump under the current crisis we’re under is protecting the public good,” Fluharty said.
Another possibility would be adding gas tax legislation to the call for a special session Governor Justice has announced for next month.
“We just want to do something,” said House Minority Leader Doug Skaff, D-Kanawha. “And you know, the end of April is when our special session is. People are hurting now. We called three weeks ago to have something — come in; we could do this in a day.”
The Democrats have estimated that a one-month suspension of the gas tax would cost the state about $35 million.
West Virginia leaders passed a general revenue budget last month that allows for the possibility of up to a billion dollars in allocations from year-end surplus. One of the possible allocations is $600 million for an economic development fund. A technically-flawed bill to establish that fund is what the governor has called a special session to fix.
Governor Justice on Tuesday said he doesn’t believe there is consensus among legislators about a gas tax holiday.
“I have been in contact with legislative leadership from the standpoint of, I have had some minimal discussions with the leadership in the Senate, President Blair. But really, and truly, this to me is election time politics,” the governor said.
“I know our people are hurting and I know it would help to some degree, and from that standpoint I’m all in. But at the same time it takes a lot more than just somebody going out and running through the streets yelling fire or whatever.”
Justice expressed caution that money from the gas tax goes toward paying down road bonds. But, he said, “If the Legislature comes to me and says ‘this is what we want to do,’ I’ll be all in.
“But there are so many ramifications, we do not need people grandstanding knowing there’s an election in just a little while.” He concluded, “I’d be 100 percent all in if everybody got together and said ‘This is exactly what we want to do.’”
State Senate Finance Chairman Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, posted videos on social media pushing back against the calls for a gas tax holiday.
“The people that pay the gas tax are by and large out-of-state, non-West Virginia people,” Tarr said. “That tax goes to fund your roads and your bridges.”
Tarr reiterated the point about gas taxes being paid by people traveling through West Virginia and said “so what Richard Lindsay is proposing is ‘Hey, you know what, we’re going to give Ohio a tax cut, we’re going to give Virginia a tax cut, we’re going to give Maryland a tax cut, we’re going to give Kentucky a tax cut’ — anybody but West Virginians. Because what we’re going to do is we’re going to take the money that would have gone to your roads and bridges and we’re going to give it to them.'”