Gas prices may encourage people to work remotely longer
BOSTON - As the average price of gas climbed above $5 a gallon in Massachusetts, Tuesday, the CEO of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, Jim Rooney, said that may encourage more people to work remotely longer.
"As employers and employees consider how to deal with gas prices, that fewer trips to the downtown and to the core and fewer commuting trips might be part of that," Rooney said. "Some of that is because people just are not feeling that the public transportation system is reliable."
On Monday, legislative leaders ruled out suspending Massachusetts' 24 cent gas tax as a form of relief at the pump, even though Governor Charlie Baker supports a suspension.
Senate President Karen Spilka noted that Connecticut, which passed a gas tax suspension until June 30, has an average price of gas just 8 cents below Massachusetts. Instead, Spilka said the Senate will focus on tax relief focused at helping residents recover from inflation and the pandemic.
"We're looking at relief for low income, the most vulnerable populations and working families that we have. We're looking at relief for seniors. We're looking at relief in various forms," Spilka said.
Spilka said a vote on relief would come before the end of the legislative session in July.
Speaker of the House Ronald Mariano said he and a team are also looking through the roughly $700 million tax relief package proposed by Governor Charlie Baker.
"To work through a wide-ranging array of help," Mariano said, "And this whole thing about tax cuts, well tax cuts aren't going to come until next year."
Rooney says he supports long term tax relief to help those who are hurting from the price of gas.
"The legislative sessions end at the end of July. Let's accelerate legislation on other forms of tax relief and get money back into people's pockets," Rooney said.