DeWine: Lifting state gas tax would be a ‘mistake’

XENIA — Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine was in Xenia on Thursday and News Center 7 had a chance to ask him about why he won’t life the state gas tax to help with the price at the gas pump.

DeWine said it would be a mistake for us to lift the state gas tax. “I would love it, I think everyone would love to not pay a tax, but it’s a fourth of our state budget,” he said.

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He said the project of on fixing the Brent Spence Bridge in Cincinnati would slow down. Safety projects would also not be done if the state lifted the gas tax.

“The gas tax is not going up - the price of gasoline is. This lies at the feed of the Biden administration, and they have sent all the wrong signals,” DeWine said.  He continued, “Gas is a huge, huge burden for people right now.”

According to DeWine, the Department of Transportation does not get all of the money from the state gas tax. He said part of the money goes to local townships, villages, cities, and counties to help them improve their infrastructures.

DeWine said he believes residents of Ohio would ask, six months to a year down the road, “what happened to all of the road projects?” He just believes it would be a mistake to life the state gas tax.

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