Gas Tops $4.40 in Ohio Despite Suspended State Tax
Ohio's average for regular gasoline reached $4.41 a gallon, above the national average, about a month into a 90-day suspension of the state gas tax.
Ohio drivers are paying more for gas than the national average, even with the state's gas tax suspended.
The average price of regular gasoline in Ohio was $4.41 a gallon, according to GasBuddy figures reported Oct. 23 by The Center Square. A year ago, the average was $3.02, the outlet reported.
Nationally, the average fell 6 cents in a week to $4.27, according to AAA. AAA attributed the drop to the seasonal switch to winter-blend gasoline but said crude oil prices near $100 a barrel, amid instability in the Strait of Hormuz, are keeping prices from falling further, The Center Square reported. AAA said October is on track to be the most expensive October on record for gas.
Dayton at $4.49
In Dayton, prices "have jumped to $4.49 per gallon in recent days," WHIO reported Oct. 22. The station did not name the source of that figure.
"It's brutal. I mean, $4.49 for gas, it's not even reasonable. I think it's ridiculous," University of Dayton student Jack Demeo told WHIO.
Chelsea Sick, public and government affairs manager for AAA Club Alliance, offered a tip: "Be prepared to use your cruise control on the interstate. That can really help save some money on gas," she told the station.
Tax holiday debate
The Ohio General Assembly suspended the state gas tax for 90 days in late September to blunt rising prices, The Center Square reported. The suspension will cost the state about $725 million in revenue, according to the outlet. WHIO reported that without the tax holiday, drivers would be paying nearly $4.90 a gallon.
John Fortney, spokesman for the Ohio Senate Majority Caucus, said the suspension lasts through the upcoming holidays and could be evaluated at the start of the 137th General Assembly, according to The Center Square. "Think about how much more people would be paying if the Democrats had prevailed," Fortney said, as quoted by the outlet.
State Rep. Munira Abdullahi, D-Columbus, voted against the suspension and called it "a political stunt," The Center Square reported. She and other Democrats favored using $1 billion set aside for a Cleveland Browns stadium for a $150 residential energy rebate, along with stronger enforcement to make sure tax savings reach consumers and expanded homestead property tax relief, according to the outlet.
Jill Del Greco, spokeswoman for Gov. Mike DeWine, said the suspension was not a price freeze, so price swings were expected, The Center Square reported. She pointed to consumer protections against price gouging and said any talk of extending the suspension would likely come closer to its expiration.