Massachusetts gas tax under fresh criticism as prices skyrocket across the nation

Gas prices are still surging around the country, hitting particularly hard in Massachusetts.

Due to this, the Republican candidates for Massachusetts governor are encouraging the state’s Legislature to put off the gas tax to give people a break at the pump.

“We need relief from the skyrocketing prices across the board, and the state has a clear way to help by putting a holiday on the gas tax during this current crisis. This would provide an instant savings to our families trying to make ends meet,” said Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Doughty.

That proposal would only be temporary, but it would provide a complete moratorium on the state gas tax of 24 cents per gallon any time the prices hit $4. 

By suspending the tax, the total cost per gallon would be brought back under $4, and the policy would reinstate the tax once prices decreased to $3.70 or less per gallon. As reported by AAA, gas prices have reached a new record of $4.16 on Monday, which is 8 cents higher per gallon than the previous record of $4.08 in 2008.

Doughty’s campaign also sent out a petition to gather support for the proposal, and used his proposition to call out the Democratic gubernatorial challenger Maura Healey for staying quiet on the issue.

“MIA Maura has no intention of working to make Massachusetts more affordable,” Doughty wrote in an email to his supporters. While Healey’s campaign did not directly address the gas tax proposal, it did say the crisis “underscores the urgency of rapidly transitioning to energy independence and a clean energy economy.”