People in Georgia will keep paying no state taxes on gasoline and diesel, at least until state lawmakers start a special legislative session.
Republican Gov. Brian Kemp on Wednesday extended the fuel tax rollback of 31.2 cents per gallon of gasoline and 35 cents per gallon of diesel until Nov. 29.
Georgia’s governor can suspend the collection of taxes during an emergency as long as state lawmakers approve it the next time they meet. That next session had been scheduled for Jan. 8, but will now be Nov. 29. That’s when Kemp called a special session to redraw Georgia’s congressional and state legislative districts after a federal judge ruled some districts illegally diluted voting power of Black people.
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It’s unclear if Kemp will ask lawmakers to extend the tax break by law during their special session. He could also declare another state of emergency after lawmakers leave and resume waiving taxes until January. Spokesperson Garrison Douglas said he had no information about what Kemp would request.
Kemp in September revived what was a campaign tactic during his reelection bid in 2022, when 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 second-term governor began waiving the taxes again in September when he issued a novel legal declaration finding that high prices were such an emergency. The 2022 suspensions came under a state of emergency related to COVID-19.
Kemp says tax relief for Georgians helps them deal with inflation that he blames on Democratic President Joe Biden, although most economists say giving consumers more money typically increases inflation as well.
“Thanks to our responsible approach to budgeting, we’re able to deliver…
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