State lawmakers are apparently planning to interrupt their election-season recess to come back to Columbus and pass a bill to suspend Ohio's gas tax. The announcement came from Republican candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy, whose running mate is the president of the Ohio Senate.
News of this plan came a few hours after Democratic candidate Amy Acton issued a call for a gas tax holiday. The state's current tax is 38.5 cents on gas and 47 cents on diesel.
Ramaswamy said in a statement that he's working with lawmakers to move quickly.
“I've partnered with Ohio's legislative leaders to create a sensible plan to immediately reduce prices at the pump for Ohioans. Every trip to the grocery store, every fill-up at the pump, every monthly bill costs too much. Families badly need a real leader who takes action and delivers real relief to Ohioans - not just empty statements," said Ramaswamy in a statement. "I am working with Ohio's legislative leaders to enact this Gas Tax Relief Plan into law by no later than next week."
The plan would suspend the state's 38.5 cent gas tax and replace the lost revenue with Ohio Department of Transportation funds, state revenue dollars or the rainy day fund. Ramaswamy said that money will be restored through a deal he plans to work out with the federal government to get more money recovered from Medicaid fraud. But Ramaswamy hasn't said how he plans to strike that deal. Ohio currently gets 35 cents for every dollar of Medicaid fraud found, with the rest going to the federal government, which pays 65% of Ohio's Medicaid costs.
Ramaswamy and legislative leaders who've endorsed him will detail the plan in a press conference Wednesday.
Acton had called for a gas tax holiday hours before Ramaswamy's announcement, saying she's hearing stories of Ohioans who are unable to work or go to the doctor because they can’t afford to fill up.
"Ohioans are hurting. I’m hearing stories of folks who are unable to get to work or go to the doctor because they can’t afford to fill up their tank,” said Acton in a statement. “Ohioans are the hardest working people I know, and we can offer Ohioans some temporary relief without compromising on investing in our infrastructure."
If lawmakers do pass legislation to suspend the gas tax, it's unclear how Gov. Mike DeWine will respond. He pushed to increase the gas tax by 18 cents as one of his first moves in office in 2019, and compromised with lawmakers to settle on a 10.5 cent increase for gas and 19 cent boost for diesel. But there's long been concern that the state gas tax doesn't bring in enough money for construction projects that have become more expensive because of material costs, while more efficient vehicles are using less fuel.
