WV House Democrats again ask Morrisey, GOP colleagues to suspend gas tax after no movement on issue

West Virginia House Democrats are again asking Gov. Patrick Morrisey and Republican lawmakers to address high gas prices by suspending the state’s gas tax. 

So far this year, the minority party’s attempts to work with Republicans on the fuel tax have been unsuccessful, while West Virginia gas prices now top $4 per gallon in most areas. 

“We’re willing to negotiate. The legislation that we have prepared as a caucus would actually go into effect in November,” said House Minority Leader Sean Horbuckle, D-Cabell, Tuesday at a press conference. 

Kentucky and Ohio recently suspended state tax on gasoline and diesel in response to high prices at the pump. In Ohio, prices fell about 40 cents over the last week after the tax suspension. 

Both border states have Republican supermajorities in their legislatures, Del. Kayla Young noted.

“This is not just a Democratic issue. This is something that people want for relief for families in West Virginia,” said Young, D-Kanawha. “We think we need to be suspending the gas tax now.”

The state fuel tax averages about 36 cents per gallon and brings in between $30 million and $40 million per month, which supports the state’s road fund.

“Part of that is a fixed cost, 20.5 cents, is fixed. The other portion is variable. It’s 15.2%. That number is going to go up, and the wholesale price of gas is going to get more expensive in West Virginia if we don’t do something,” Young said. “Our caucus is open to negotiating on how we fix this problem.”

Steve Williams is the former mayor of Huntington, who is now running for a House seat in District 24. After managing Huntington’s operations, Williams explained that soaring gas prices affect city operations across the state.

“It affects law enforcement. It affects road maintenance and construction, as well as universal infrastructure development,” Williams said. “Families and state government operations are being scrubbed on a daily basis to be able to make ends meet.”

The House Democratic caucus has already twice called on Morrisey and their Republican colleagues this year to enter into a special session to suspend the state’s gasoline tax.

The nine House Democrats sent a formal letter to Morrisey on May 6 requesting that the governor call the Legislature into a special session. In West Virginia, the governor can call lawmakers into a special session for a specific issue. 

Hornbuckle said that Morrisey did not respond to their request in the spring. 

“I want to be very clear: this is the most pressing issue right now,” Hornbuckle said. 

State lawmakers can force a special session with three-fifths of members signing onto a letter to the governor, meaning the Democratic caucus needs a substantial amount of Republicans to get on board with a gas tax suspension.

“It’s been a hallmark of our caucus for a while now that we are open and willing to work together on these issues, but again, we’re not seeing a response, and so I think that non-response tells us, unfortunately, everything that we need to know,” Hornbuckle said. 

“We also do not see any action by our federal administration, our federal legislators, to rein in the president or or try to make some type of a deal to cease what is going on overseas that has a direct impact on all of our pocketbooks here,” he added.

West Virginia State Treasurer Larry Pack, a Republican, has already implored Morrisey to call a special session to suspend the gas tax. 

Morrisey told WSAZ last week that his office was “closely reviewing options and exploring ways to put more money back into hard-working West Virginians’ pockets.”

In May, Morrisey said that suspending the gas tax would come with a “trade off” — taking money away from road improvements.

Democratic lawmakers have suggested using the state’s surplus fund or rainy day fund to make up for tax suspension.