Rep. Somani Votes for Gas Tax Holiday, Says Ohioans Need More Than 90 Days of Relief

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin) today voted in favor of a 90-day gas tax holiday to provide immediate relief to Ohio drivers facing high prices at the pump.

The legislation temporarily reduces Ohio’s motor fuel tax and uses state General Revenue Fund (GRF) dollars to replace road maintenance and construction revenue that would otherwise be collected during the tax holiday.

“Everything is too expensive for Ohioans right now. My House Democratic colleagues and I have been working for months on bills that would lower the cost of everything from healthcare to housing to utilities but have not seen much Republican support.

This gas tax suspension will provide some relief to Ohioans, but it does not go far enough. We could be doing so much more, but Republicans have refused to come to the negotiation table. I voted for this bill because in a small way it will help people. However, this crisis started months ago, and it was ignored until it became something to campaign on.”

For Ohio families, the cost of living does not begin and end at the gas pump. Housing, utility bills, health care, child care, groceries and property taxes all determine how much money families have left at the end of the month. For families who are choosing between filling up the tank and paying another bill, immediate relief matters. But the high cost of living stretches far beyond the gas pump.

Ohio’s affordability crisis didn't start five weeks before an election. Ohioans have struggled with high gas prices, utility bills, housing costs and health care expenses for years. Gas prices peaked at an average of $4.83 in May, as the busy travel season began.  But Republicans ignored the struggle until it was politically expedient, that is, when they realized weeks before election day that their gubernatorial candidate was behind in the polls.

Ohio House Democrats offered an alternative plan that would have provided immediate gas tax relief while making the state's resources go further for Ohio families. That proposal would have used the $1 billion previously allocated for the owners of the Cleveland Browns stadium, and would have included a $150 residential energy rebate, strong enforcement to ensure gas tax savings reach consumers, and expanded homestead property tax relief. The plan was ignored by House Republicans.

Rep. Somani said today's vote is part of the broader fight for affordability that Ohio House Democrats have been pursuing throughout the last few years. The gas tax holiday provides needed temporary relief for motorists, but Ohio families continue to face higher costs for housing, groceries, health care, and utilities especially going into winter and the holiday season.