Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) expressed skepticism on Thursday about whether the state would step in to cut Florida’s gas tax while fuel prices spike during the war with Iran.
Democrats in the state legislature have floated the idea of temporarily slashing the gas tax as the price at the pump hit $3.67 per regular gallon this week. But DeSantis poured cold water on the idea, saying the state’s “ability to influence the fuel prices are really marginal, at best.”
“We have done gas holidays in the past,” DeSantis said. “Sometimes the price just gets raised so that the consumer doesn’t see any difference. I mean, if the gas is $4.00 a gallon, whether you’re paying tax or not, if you’re paying $4.00, that’s what people notice, right?”
The last time Florida cut back its gas tax was in October 2022, when the state legislature approved a one-month suspension that cut prices by about $0.25, local news outlets reported.
“I think when we did it in the past, I don’t think the consumer really felt relief because of the way the prices fluctuate,” DeSantis said. “And obviously, these stations can have some room for play in the joints. I think the ultimate solution is to make sure that you have good markets and energy internationally.”
He called the idea of energy market stabilization “something that’s going to be more in the bucket of the federal government than us.”
According to the Energy Information Administration, gas prices in Florida are the highest they have been since 2023, spiking since the start of the Iran war.
“Since the war in Iran, gas prices in Florida have increased by at least around a dollar a gallon, and so people could really use some relief right now,” Florida House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell told Action News Jax.
But it is not just Florida seeing prices at the pump tick higher. Gas prices have been rising since the start of Operation Epic Fury, as the United States hits Iran, one of the top oil-producing countries in the world. The Islamic regime has fought back by choking off the Strait of Hormuz.
In Georgia, the state House advanced a bill that would temporarily suspend the Peach State’s gas tax. If it clears the Senate, a spokesperson for Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) signaled that the move would have the governor’s support.
GEORGIA SEEKS TO SUSPEND STATE GAS TAX AMID PRICE UNCERTAINTY FROM IRAN WAR
Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the rising gas prices at an event in Michigan on Wednesday and told the crowd, “It’s not going to last forever.”
“Look, gas prices are up, and we know they’re up, and we know that people are hurting because of it, and we’re doing everything that we can to ensure that they stay lower,” Vance said. “I will say the president said this, and I certainly agree with it: This is a temporary blip.”
