Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed an executive order suspending gas tax in the state at 31.2 cents per gallon of gasoline and 35 cents per gallon of diesel fuel. The tax rollback was originally intended to end October 12 but will now be extended until November 11.
According to AP News, “... he signed a law suspending the gas tax with broad bipartisan support. Kemp signed seven separate extensions after that, with the state forgoing an estimated $1.7 billion in revenue from March 2022 to January 2023.”
The Georgia governor has the power to suspend the collection of taxes as long as lawmakers approve it the next time they meet, notes AP News.
On Thursday, Georgia drivers were paying an average $3.20 per gallon of unleaded gasoline, according to AAA. That was the lowest price among the states and down 37 cents since Kemp suspended the taxes. The national average of $3.77 has decreased 7 cents per gallon in the same time.
As reported by AP News, Kemp says tax relief for Georgians helps them deal with inflation. “With our partners in the General Assembly, we’ll keep working to put money back in the pockets of Georgia families,” Kemp said in a statement.
Pump prices also include a federal tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel. The order suspends taxes on wholesalers and is likely to take a few days to trickle through to retailers who sell fuel to drivers.