By Ty Tagami
Capitol Beat News Service
It has been nearly a month since Gov. Brian Kemp suspended Georgia’s motor fuel tax to help drivers cope with soaring prices at the pump.
With prices down but still relatively high, Kemp announced that he is extending the tax break for another month.
The state excise tax of 33.3 cents a gallon for gasoline and 37.3 cents for diesel will remain suspended until 11:59 p.m. Nov. 30, according to the executive order signed by Kemp on Saturday.
The General Assembly must approve the suspension when it next convenes.
This is the fourth suspension of the tax this year. Kemp said he consulted with Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and House Speaker Jon Burns before extending the state of emergency.
In March, Kemp signed a 60-day gas tax suspension bill after it passed the state House 163-4 and the state Senate unanimously.
Then, in May, he declared a state of emergency and extended the suspension two weeks, into early June. The General Assembly retroactively approved the extension in a special session in June.
On Sept. 28, Kemp signed an executive order declaring another state of emergency and authorizing the current suspension, originally set to expire Oct. 29.
“With a major holiday coming up and fuel prices still at high levels, I am proud to take this step to keep more money in Georgians’ pockets,” Kemp said in a statement Saturday.
Prior motor fuel tax suspensions cost the state about $200 million a month.
This article is available through a partnership with Capitol Beat News Service, a project of the Georgia Press Association’s nonprofit, tax-exempt Educational Foundation.