New Jersey lawmakers consider temporary gas tax rollback to ease economic squeeze
NEW JERSEY -- Rising prices at the gas pump continue to put the economic squeeze on drivers.
New Jersey lawmakers are hoping to ease the pain by rolling back the gas tax, CBS2's Meg Baker reported Friday.
"Gas prices are ridiculous. It's totally overwhelming," said Barbara Goldstein of Scotch Plains.
"Very high, very high. It should come down already," another driver said.
Next week, State Sen. Shirley Turner plans to introduce legislation to temporarily roll back the gas tax for 60 days.
"It is being borne by the people who can least afford to pay because they are the lowest paid workers, senior citizens on fixed incomes and the middle-income people," Turner said.
New Jersey's 42.4 cents per gallon gas tax is the fourth highest in the nation. The proposed bill would lower that to 14.5 cents, the rate in 2016.
Turner said high gas prices are negatively impacting the broader economy.
"When the grocers are telling us they have to raise the price of all of their food because of the cost of transportation," Turner said.
Gov. Phil Murphy would not comment on the pending legislation.
"We have a gas tax that's set every August. This past August, it went down over 8 cents. It's subject to a formula. I'd like to see that continue to go down," Murphy had previously said.
Sal Risalvato, executive director of the New Jersey Gasoline, Convenience Store and Automotive Association, said members support the plan.
"We believe that by lowering that price, it makes us more competitive with our neighboring states," Risalvato said.
The New Jersey Gasoline, Convenience Store and Automotive Association said it also supports a bill that would allow drivers to pump their own gas at a lower rate, noting they've had issues hiring gas station attendants for years.
Turner said reducing the gas tax would not hurt the transportation trust fund it supports. Federal stimulus money and a state revenue windfall should be used.
"We're flush with cash. Now is the time to use that money for our residents so that they can continue stimulating our economy," Turner said.
Drivers told CBS2 every little bit helps, especially while climbing out of the pandemic.