Outgoing Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said on Thursday that he is working with the state government to issue an emergency suspension of the gas tax in response to “global uncertainty due to Russian aggression.”
Maryland state officials on Thursday voted to increase revenue projections for the state’s current and upcoming fiscal years by $1.6 billion combined.
In a statement on Twitter, Hogan pointed to this report as further proof that Maryland had a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance substantial tax relief for our families, small businesses and retirees.”
“In addition, at this time of global uncertainty due to Russian aggression, we are working with our legislative partners on an emergency suspension of the gas tax to help with the pain at the pump,” Hogan said.
“We also support ongoing efforts in the legislature to suspend automatic increases in the gas tax. And I have called on the Biden administration to increase domestic energy production to help lower costs,” he added. “Now more than ever, we must come together to take bold, bipartisan action.”
Several state leaders have recently signaled their intentions of suspending the gas tax as the White House announced this week it would be suspending all energy imports from Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) on Wednesday said he and the state legislature would work to temporarily halt the state’s gas tax due to the recent rise in gas prices.
And the GOP-led Michigan state Michigan House of Representatives earlier this week voted to temporarily suspend the gas tax for six months, with the legislation now headed to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) desk.