SALISBURY, Md. - Governor Hogan signed a bill Friday afternoon to suspend the gas tax for 30 days. Gas prices are on the rise due to inflation and the War in Ukraine. According to Governor Hogan Maryland is the first state in the nation to suspend collection of gas tax. Friday marked the first time in a while that gas has dipped below $4 per gallon in the Salisbury area. John Wright owns Drive on Time Driving School and welcomes the relief.
“Just the psychological part when you go to the pump and it's not over 4 dollars it's now a little bit under 4 dollars it just makes you feel a little better.,” Wright said.
The suspension of the gas tax has some drivers, like Ron Mitchell making sure to fill up in Maryland, rather than in Delaware or Virginia.
“I'm going to save some money. I figure between my two vehicles, which my wife doesn't work in Salisbury, she gets fuel in Delaware, but it's probably going to save me. I don't know if I get a tank of gas per week, probably about 20 gallons, so $6 maybe,” Mitchell said.
John Hickman is the director of Business Economic and Community Outreach Network (BEACON) at Salisbury University. He says a secondary effect of the gas tax being implemented is more traffic at tourist spots.
“Ocean City and the rest of our resorts depend on people driving here so if consumers say maybe gas is going to be a little less expensive they are going to be less reluctant to make those trips,” Hickman said.
According to Hickman the price of fuel will increase once the gas tax comes back in one month.