Gov. Kemp suspends gas tax to soften blow from Hurricane Helene

Michael E. Kanell, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Oct 1, 2024

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With large swaths of Georgia struggling to recover from hurricane damage, Gov. Brian Kemp late Tuesday said he is suspending the state’s gas tax.

The move, announced after 6 p.m. on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, effectively lowers the price of gasoline and diesel fuel at the pump by more than 30 cents, state Department of Revenue data show. The change takes effect beginning Thursday.

Kemp had declared a state of emergency for the state on Sept. 24, a proclamation he extended on Tuesday.

The current average price of regular gasoline in Georgia is $2.94 a gallon, about 24 cents a gallon cheaper than the national average, according to Gas Buddy, which tracks fuel prices nationally.

Kemp had previously suspended the gas tax after the Russian invasion of Ukraine sent gas prices spiking above $4 a gallon. During the summer of 2022, prices crested at about $4.30 a gallon statewide, according to Gas Buddy.

“As Georgians recover from Hurricane Helene, with the support of our legislative partners, I have suspended the gas tax for the duration of this State of Emergency, bringing relief to communities who continue to rely on fuel to power their homes and necessary equipment,” Kemp wrote in his post.

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