Senator Lewis explains his thoughts on Governor’s gas tax holiday proposal

 Governor Youngkin’s gas tax holiday proposal seems to be facing political head winds from the Democrats.  We asked Senator Lewis his feelings on the issue and he said that there may be ways to help out families than the proposed temporary suspension of the tax.

Lewis said,”I’d certainly like some relief too but I think there may be ways given the current budget surplus to accomplish that without adjusting the state’s gas tax. That’s important because the gas tax is the biggest component of the Transportation Trust Fund. It does not go into the General Fund. We have a six year transportation plan that had turned into a decades plan just a few years ago and we have finally been able on a bi-partisan basis to provide the funding necessary to jump start some large and important transportation projects(eg. widening of 64, HRBT expansion, I-81 corridor improvements etc) as well as smaller projects across Virginia. In addition, it impacts maintenance projects at the height of maintenance season and when asphalt costs are on the rise. Further it would occur during tourist season when non-Virginians are using our roads.

“The last projection that I saw was that the average Virginia family would realize a savings of $25.00/month for three to five months. I think there are other ways given the General Fund surplus to provide that order of relief  to Virginians without undermining the Transportation Trust Fund and the progress we have made in transportation in recent years.”

The General Assembly is headed back to Richmond this week to tackle unresolved issues that were not settled by the scheduled end of this year’s session.

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