Ohio is implementing a three-month gas tax reprieve, relying on state budget surplus funds to cover more than $700 million in expected revenue losses.
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“It’s really okay because there’s funding with the surpluses, in my understanding, and that’s money we’ve already paid to the state, so we’re getting our own money back,” Jeff Ingram said.
This will help school districts and other industries that run on diesel.
“Some of our schools are using 11,000 gallons a month. That’s a big savings,” State Rep. Andrea White (R-Kettering) said.
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Kettering schools have more than 7,000 students, and it said the cost of busing them adds up fast.
White said the district spends around $7,500 a month on fuel.
She said she started pushing for the tax reprieve in spring.
“My thought is, if we can do it now, we should have done it in the spring, but we didn’t know our revenue,” she said.
While some Ohioans are critical of the timing as it is right before midterm elections, White said this plan had bipartisan support.
“I’m not as concerned about timing as I am about getting money back in people’s pockets. And this is real relief,” she said.
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