The Massachusetts House rejected a proposal to suspend the gas tax on Wednesday afternoon, voting down the measure 30-121. The decision came as lawmakers debated an affordability-focused idea that had gained public support in polling and was favored by the two leading candidates for governor.
Republican leaders argued that the state should take action to provide relief during an affordability crisis, while Democrats expressed doubts that consumers would see meaningful savings at the pump. They also warned that suspending the gas tax would result in lost revenue for transportation funding.
Rep. Todd Smola of Warren, who filed an amendment in favor of the tax holiday, stated, “A new UMass poll shows 69 percent of voters support temporarily suspending the gas tax. That is a message this body should take loud and clear.” He added, “both candidates for governor have recognized the need for gas tax relief. I may disagree with the governor on many issues, but on this point, I agree. We should do what we can to lower costs for the people that we represent.”
Democratic Reps. Dennis Gallagher, Colleen Garry, Steven Ouellette, David Robertson, and Alan Silvia joined Republicans in voting for the tax holiday. Gallagher, Ouellette, and Silvia face Republican challengers in next month’s election.
Adrian Madaro, who chairs the Joint Committee on Revenue, argued that the suspension would set “a dangerous precedent.” He said, “It’s a short-term political fix that will do virtually nothing to assuage the high costs squeezing our constituents, providing minimal savings at most to the average taxpayer.”
James Arciero, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation, stated that suspending the gas tax would save the average driver about $25 per month. “That is barely enough to respond in a meaningful way to current gas prices,” he said. He also noted that the state would lose an estimated $120 million in revenues over a 60-day period.
Arciero referenced a gas tax suspension in Connecticut in 2022, stating, “In 2022, Connecticut suspended their fuel excise for a nine-month period, much longer than the two-month period proposed by this amendment. Connecticut returned to the original gas tax after, and it was estimated that drivers saved $13 per month.”
Madaro countered that in Connecticut, oil companies used the temporary price cut to increase profit margins rather than lowering the price at the pump for drivers. Healey’s administration had worked to draft legislation that would prevent this outcome, but it was a core part of Democratic representatives’ argument against the tax holiday.
