Georgia drivers will pay more at the pump starting Wednesday. Gov. Brian Kemp has decided not to extend the state’s gas tax suspension, which runs out at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.
What’s happening: The suspension saved drivers 33 cents per gallon on gasoline and about 37 cents per gallon on diesel. Once it ends, those charges come back immediately.
What’s important: The break was put in place after the U.S. conflict with Iran pushed oil prices higher, lifting Georgia’s average gas price to $4.02 per gallon. Even at that price, Georgia was about 50 cents cheaper per gallon than the national average. Georgia was one of only two states in the country running a gas tax suspension.
By the numbers: The suspension cost the state about $200 million per month in lost revenue. Georgia’s gas tax is 33 cents per gallon. The diesel tax is 37.3 cents per gallon. Diesel prices matter beyond the pump because they affect the cost of shipping food and other goods by truck.
Catch up quick: Georgia lawmakers passed House Bill 1199 earlier this year, a 60-day gas tax suspension tied to fuel price spikes from the Iran conflict. The state Senate passed it unanimously, with both parties supporting it. Kemp also used his emergency powers just before Memorial Day to bridge a gap between the old suspension and the new one, citing unstable global markets and a 3% single-day spike in global oil prices.
How this affects real people: Starting Wednesday, the full state gas tax is back. For a driver filling a 15-gallon tank, that works out to about $5 more per fill-up compared to what they paid during the suspension.
