Incoming legislator, Pennsylvania Rep.-elect Joe D’Orsie (R-Manchester) announced Wednesday he would be introducing legislation to stop an automatic gas tax hike when he is sworn into office next year.
In a sponsorship memo to his fellow state House members, D’Orsie said he would be introducing legislation that would amend 2013’s Act 89 to halt the gas tax increase triggered by high gas prices this year. Act 89 automatically initiates a gas tax increase when the average gas price exceeds $2.99 per gallon.
“Gas prices in Pennsylvania have been well above the national average for years because of the state’s exorbitantly high gas tax,” D’Orsie said. “To make matters worse, the Department of Revenue has announced it will increase the tax on gas by 3.5 cents, taking more money away from hard-working Pennsylvanians.”
D’Orsie said his legislation would provide Pennsylvania drivers with relief from paying the third-highest gas tax in the country.
Citing information from AAA, D’Orsie said the average gas price per gallon in Pennsylvania is $3.64 – 50 cents higher than the $3.10 national average. In neighboring Maryland, the average price of a gallon of gas is only $3.11. D’Orsie said Pennsylvania’s 57.6 cent gas tax is to blame. If Act 89 is not amended, he said, the gas tax will rise to 61.1 cents per gallon.
The legislation would also help the trucking industry, D’Orsie said, preventing the tax on diesel fuel from rising 4.4 cents to 78.5 cents per gallon.
“In inflationary times, we should be protecting consumers at the gas pump, not penalizing them,” D’Orsie said. “Increases like these always have a trickle-down effect; not only will gas prices rise if we don’t act, but the cost of the goods transported by trucks dependent on diesel fuel will follow suit.”