Fattman's amendment to suspend state's 24-cent gas tax fails

BOSTON — State Sen. Ryan C. Fattman of Sutton said that suspending the state's gas tax is an important aid for working people and families as prices at the pump soar before a failed vote to add an amendment to a COVID spending bill.

"When you look around, working people, families and businesses who depend upon using their own vehicles to get around to and from work are suffering at the pump," Fattman said.

Fattman and his two fellow Senate Republicans, Bruce E. Tarr of Gloucester and Patrick O'Connor of Weymouth, planned to force their Democratic colleagues on the record about an amendment to a COVID-spending bill temporarily suspending the state gas tax, according to State House News Service (SHNS).

The Senate amendment would have suspended the state's 24-cent gas tax through Labor Day. A similar House amendment to the COVID bill filed by Rep. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, was easily rejected by the House Democratic majority earlier in March, according to SHNS.

The Senate debated the amendment late Thursday afternoon and held a vote where the amendment failed. The vote was 11-29 with eight Democrats joining the Republicans in voting for the amendment.

For Central Massachusetts, Democratic state Sens. Michael O. Moore of Millbury and Anne M. Gobi of Spencer voted in favor of the amendment. Sen. Harriette L. Chandler of Worcester, John Cronin of Lunenburg and James B. Eldridge of Acton voted against the amendment.

Russian invasion a factor

Gas taxes have been rising in the state and nationwide amid rising inflation and the uncertainty brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent economic sanctioning of Russia, a provider of gasoline and natural gas.

AAA reported that the average gas price in Massachusetts was $4.23 on Thursday and $4.26 in Worcester County.

Fattman said gas is around $1.40 higher than it was a year ago. He said a driver of a 15-gallon vehicle would save about $4 whenever they fill their tank if the tax is suspended. As trips to the pump add up, Fattman said the savings could be a decent amount of money.

"It's not insignificant, it helps with the cost of living," Fattman said.

Republicans are focusing on a seasonal reduction because the state has entered the tourism-heavy spring and summer months.

"Businesses over the last two years with COVID restrictions have been absolutely crushed and they need this summer for people to travel and patronize their businesses," Fattman said. "If we don't do that, that's going to be a major problem for these individuals."

Republicans in favor of suspension

The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance also called for a suspension of the gas tax. Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Doughty has called for a suspension as well and called on a statement that Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Maura Healey to support the suspension as well.

"My positive plan as the next governor is to make Massachusetts more affordable. Voters want to know if Maura Healey will hear their voices," Doughty said in a statement.

Gov. Charlie Baker has indicated that he is interested in ways to provide relief to Massachusetts drivers at the pump and asked for such ideas to get a fair hearing, according to SHNS.

Advocates of the amendment and Fattman have pointed to a gas tax suspension in Maryland and a likely suspension of the Connecticut gas tax on a bipartisan basis as examples of why Massachusetts should suspend their tax to provide relief to drivers.

Fattman, whose district borders Connecticut, said that higher gas prices could lead to businesses in his district having a disadvantage.

"You have to drive into Connecticut to get from Dudley to Southbridge, and right on the corner there's a gas station," Fattman said. "Their gas is going to be 25 cents lower, and what do you think's going to happen?"

Gas relief likely not coming

Other states have also taken up steps to support drivers with gas costs or are looking to suspend their gas tax, with Fattman bringing up California Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement of $400 gas debit cards for California car owners. Fattman said no other proposals to provide gas price relief have been made.

According to SHNS, Democrats have said they are explaining tax relief ideas.

A woman from Whitinsville, a part of Fattman's district, spoke at a press conference at the State House Wednesday after speaking to him about the impacts gas prices have had on her and her family of five. Fattman said he is pushing for this amendment so people like her could have relief.

Fattman said that he read recommendations in an article about saving money with high gas prices, and the article told struggling households to make travel and dining cuts.

"We've been telling people to do that a lot over the last two years and it's just not fair, especially if we can afford it," Fattman said.

House Democrats, in opposing the House amendment, said that the amendment would harm the state's ratings with bond agencies and make projects more expensive as the gas tax revenues is one of the guarantees the state uses when borrowing money to pay for transportation projects.

Fattman said that the Senate version replenishes approximately $350 million in tax relief that a suspension would bring by tapping into the state's budget surplus.

Democratic senators reiterated the concerns about the bond rating and referred to the measure as a "gimmick" during debate. State Sen. Michael J. Rodrigues of Westport, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said during debate it was not assured that gas companies would pass along the savings of a tax suspension to consumers and that tapping the budget surplus was a bad precedent.

In response to a question about the amendment Thursday, Baker gave his most positive comments yet on the proposal, where he called Senate Republicans' changes to the language to address the bond ratings "clever," hoped that the proposal would get a fair hearing and said he would not want Massachusetts gas buyers at a disadvantage.

With only three Republicans in the state Senate, the amendment was unlikely to pass but a recorded vote now ties Democrats to a vote on gas price relief in an election year.

Before the vote, Fattman said he plans to file a gas tax suspension again through other mechanisms and vessels during budget season.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Proposed curb on Massachusetts gas tax fails in Senate vote