Suspending the federal gasoline and diesel tax was suggested by the President recently. The savings per gallon are 18.3 cents for gas and 24.3 cents for diesel. The monthly loss in revenues is about $3.5 billion. That means a significant reduction in road repairs, especially if the high gas prices last for several months. If the war ended today and it took six months to reduce prices, that would be 9 months of high prices. Are you willing to forego over $30 billion in revenues to reduce fuel prices by 4%?
I see this needing Moderator intervention soon… 
I’m sure that most people would welcome a reduction in fuel prices, but I have to wonder how many of them realize that the trade-off would likely be higher repair costs, due to increased damage to suspensions and tires when roads are not repaired.
I think that this would be a classic case of “robbing Peter to pay Paul”.
OK. before this gets Flagged and removed. Why does everything coming out by the current Goverment leadership have to increase the National Dept without doing anything for the people who live here.
I thought that I’d give the guys an opportunity to voice an opinion without getting testy. This is a legitimate concern and people might want to discuss it in a reasonable way. Disrespectful responses on either side of the issue can be deleted and if enough posts are deleted, then the monitors can close the thread. We don’t have to behave badly, and I hope we won’t.
I don’t like temporarily eliminating the federal fuel tax. Yeah, I drive an EV but Mrs JT drives a minivan that gets about 24 mpg, and we certainly feel the pinch. Still, I have a long view and don’t want to lose billions in revenue that will never be recouped. For some people the 4% or so of savings may be a big help, but it’s still not much of a reduction.
Edit: if you have a strong opinion, share it with your elected representatives. If enough citizens share the same opinion, the senators and congressmen might be persuading to vote your way. Remember that Congress has to do this; it can’t happen without their votes.
Saving $2 a fill-up doesn’t seem worth the the effort.
It doesn’t bother me either way. I heard today that the oil companies are selling to the foreign markets making about a 100% profit. As the general said we need to finish this. The straight should be and is international waters and we cannot allow Iran to be at threat anymore. Should have been done years ago but no one had the guts. I’ll just chalk up the extra hundred or two I’ll pay to my contribution to world peace. Freedom is not free.
Particularly here in Washington state getting the state tax suspended including the climate tax would make .ore of an impact but they’re not in a financial position right now to do that.
My folks just live with it driving a 32mpg crv and a 50mpg Prius using relatively little fuel. We’re not refueling the boat that probably needs 80gal at marina pump prices. We can get the state tax back on that fuel though.
No of course not. Suspending gas tax is a stupid idea. It’s a short-sighted response to a long-term problem that will only make things worse in the end.
Of course the best thing would have been to not make gas prices go up in the first place. 
Is that like the DOGE checks or Tariffs rebates or Trump phone that’s all been promised? I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Actually, Mike, I think it will happen–even though it’s a bad idea. Politcians from both sides want to be perceived as helping their financially-pressed constituents. As was already stated, this is a short-term “solution” to long-term problem, and it is sort of like shooting yourself in the foot in order to remove a bunion.
I can see a very temporary suspension of the federal gasoline tax, but maybe just a month or two at most. If that strait is open by then it won’t matter after that. Wouldn’t mind if the diesel federal tax was suspended longer to help keep the price of food and other goods down hopefully, or even if it was a month or two, then only brought back up slowly like bringing it back halfway until prices return more to normal.
The easiest way for me to cut my gas expenditure by 4% is to walk, to ride my Vespa (its summer) or to cut the number of non-essential trips I make. Every foregone trip will save me 100% in gas. Note that in Virginia, the State will also lose about 40 cents of gas tax for every gallon saved. Thus, anyone who adapts their lifestyle to use less gas will also be cutting the tax revenues collected by both the federal and state.
“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong”. H.L. Menken 1917
- For the individual consumer the $2 savings per fill up is too small to make any immediate difference.
- In the aggregate, $3.5 billion / month in lost road repairs will eventually have to be recouped and since delayed repairs always cost more …
- And there’s no guarantee that the Sellers would pass along the insignificant savings to the Buyers. Seriously, does anyone actually believe that the Oil Companies will reduce their US prices when there’s an opportunity to sell their products elsewhere?
Bottom line, this suggestion is simply a “Do something now / Feel good” " answer that is “clear, simple and wrong”.
I doubt if DJT even knows what the Federal fuel tax is. I read that the gas tax is 0.18 cents but that only 15 or 16 cents will be reduced so not really much help.
Maybe just stop the Import Tarriffs on foreign small fuel efficent vehicles might be more of a benefit.
In the 1940s when Ice cream cones at the delicatessen nearest to my house were 5 cents for one scoop. Gasoline was 25 cents a gallon and a car that would get 20 mpg was rare. Gasoline has gone up way less that ice cream.
The day my daughter was born in early 2001 (pre 9-11), the gas price for 87 octane in my area was $1.30 a gallon, that is $2.50 a gallon in todays money, which is what it was (or less) a few months ago in my area… It will go back to normal, did some people seem to forget gas prices hitting very close to these numbers back in 2008, it was over $4.00 a gallon in my area, went back to normal afterwards, and what about 2022, gas went the highest ever, it finally settled back down… We just have to wait this one out as well…
BTW: That same $4.00 back in 2008 is about $6.13 in todays money, today gas in my area is $4.00 a gallon at Shell ($3.95 Exxon, Mapco(s) and Kroger, so not nearly as high after adjusting for inflation as it was back in 2008 (or even 2022) in my area…
Does it hurt? YES, is it as high as it was back in 2008 after adjusting for inflation? NO… It is not even as high as it was after adjusting for inflation back in 2022, making that same $4.00 then about $4.71 now…
The problem is - this could have easily been prevented.
The problem is way beyond gas prices. In every sector prices are up. Inflation is up. Energy prices have seen a 17% increase. Drug prices have gone up 4%. Averages wages are stagnant or lower. No job growth. Major companies like Microsoft, Amazon and Oracle have had large layoffs. People are now choosing between medication or food. Gas for their car or food for their table. Some economists are predicting a recession within the next year. How bad is yet to be determined.