Pain at the pump sparks fight to suspend NJ gas tax amid Iran crisis

⛽NJ gas prices are hovering around $4.50 a gallon as tensions with Iran continue, according to AAA.

⛽Monmouth County Republicans want to temporarily suspend New Jersey’s gas tax.

⛽Gov. Mikie Sherrill says the gas tax funds are critical for transportation infrastructure.

Two Monmouth County lawmakers are calling on their fellow lawmakers to temporarily suspend New Jersey's gas tax.

Gas prices have steadily increased since President Donald Trump began an attack on Iran. The country has blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil passes. Gas Buddy Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan says that until ships can pass freely through the Strait, prices will remain at their current levels.

Prices have been hovering around $4.50 per gallon for regular and $5.62 for diesel for the past week, according to AAA's gas price survey as of Wednesday.

One idea gaining in popularity to bring down gas prices is to suspend state and federal gas taxes. Republican Assembly members Vicky Flynn and Gerry Scharfenberger, both R-Monmouth, are on board to freeze New Jersey's 49.1 cents per gallon gas tax for gasoline and 56.1 cents per gallon gas tax for diesel.

“While Gerry and I continue to advocate for a permanent reduction of the gas tax and more transparency and oversight of how that money is spent, drivers need relief now. Let’s give our residents even a temporary fix to the state’s perennial affordability crisis,” Flynn said. “Any little bit helps.”

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Sherrill rejects calls to cut gas tax

Any change to the gas tax must originate in the New Jersey Legislature. However, if a bill were to make it to Gov. Mikie Sherrill's desk, she would likely not sign it.

The Democrat blamed Trump for driving up prices with a "disaster and crisis" in the form of a war he cannot explain, nor see a clear way out. New Jersey's gas tax has a specific purpose and goes into the Transportation Trust.

"We are going to keep running a strategic and thoughtful government here. The gas tax is how we invest in infrastructure going forward. We will continue to make strategic decisions to create opportunity here to drive down costs for New Jerseyians," Sherrill said.

Trump has come out in support of a federal gas tax holiday. U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-NJ, 2nd District, is sponsoring legislation to suspend the federal tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel fuel.

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