ORLANDO, Fla. – Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, called for an immediate moratorium on the Florida gas tax Friday, calling for Gov. Ron DeSantis to take action and provide “immediate fuel price relief” for Florida residents.
DeSantis signed a tax bill in May that would put a temporary hold on the gas tax — as well as grant tax breaks for other items — starting in October to help residents suffering from inflation.
Recommended Videos
[TRENDING: 4 Orlando restaurants earn coveted Michelin stars | Missing baby of dead Florida couple found alive over 40 years later, authorities say | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
According to lawmakers, the reason the hold will begin in October is to make sure tourists coming to the state during summer months won’t take advantage of the tax relief aimed at Florida residents.
However, Stewart said the hold needs to come sooner rather than later.
“People need immediate relief from these ever-increasing prices,” she said. “Earlier this year, the legislature passed the one-month Motor Fuel Tax Relief, which is scheduled to begin in October. At the time, we were told that delaying it until then would reap the most benefits for Floridians, as opposed to tourists. The pain of these prices, however, is being felt now, and delaying this critical financial relief for several months helps no one, least of all Floridians.”
Florida’s current gas tax sits at approximately 25 cents per gallon, which Stewart said is compounded by the rising cost of goods in Florida.
“I implore you to activate a State of Emergency to suspend Florida’s Gas Tax immediately and to extend it for three additional months this summer,” she said. “Floridians are suffering. This pain at the pump can be felt by every Floridian across the economic spectrum, reflected not just in the cost to fill up the tank but the cascade effect helping to drive up the prices of food, rent, insurance — the list goes on.”
The average price of gas in Florida was roughly $4.77 per gallon as of Tuesday, according to a representative of AAA.