Maryland Governor, Legislators Agree To Suspend Maryland Gas Tax For 30 Days

Maryland Gov Larry Hogan and state lawmakers agreed Thursday on legislation to suspend the state’s gas tax for 30 days.

The emergency bill will land on the governor’s desk within days, and the gas tax holiday will commence after a special bill-signing ceremony.

“Increased revenue projections for this year and next year give us the flexibility to provide immediate relief to families,” Senate President William Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) and House Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) said in a statement. “This swift action will help ease the financial burden on everyday Marylanders while keeping the pressure on Vladimir Putin and the Russian oligarchs who have enabled him.”

According to AAA, the average price per gallon for regular gas in Maryland is $4.30. A suspension of the gas tax could save drivers in Maryland close to 40 cents per gallon.

“It’s the right thing to do. We can afford it,” Jones said. “We feel you, we hear you, we want to help you.”

Comptroller Peter Franchot (D), who is running for governor, proposed suspending gas taxes as well, but the proposal would be for three months, which accounts for $250 million in tax revenue.

“I think 30 days is not enough time because we have to resolve the international situation, which I think will take probably three months,” Franchot said. “The surplus will be used to substitute for the taxation so all of the transportation needs of the state will continue to be met.”

The latest effort from Maryland is in line with governors and lawmakers all over the country who are calling on states to eliminate gas taxes. The proposals for a “gas tax holiday” to counter inflation had been moving slowly in Congress and state capitols before Russia invaded Ukraine, but many are now gaining momentum.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance substantial tax relief for our families, small businesses, and retirees,” Hogan said in a tweeted statement. “People across the country are being squeezed by surging inflation on everything from gas to groceries⁠—Marylanders, especially our retirees, deserve and need this relief.”

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