Florida’s gas-tax holiday is over, here are some reasons it wasn’t longer

Gas prices are about to spike roughly 25 cents in Florida.

That’s because the state’s one-month long gas-tax holiday officially came to an end at midnight.

Meanwhile, neighbors to the North in Georgia will continue to see reduced gas prices through at least Nov.11.

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Action News Jax has been digging into why Floridians weren’t able to get the same period of relief at the pump.

It’s a question with many answers, and as with many things these days, the answer you get depends on who you ask.

Florida’s month-long gas tax holiday cost the state roughly $200 million.

Georgia spent $800 million on its gas tax holiday between mid-March and early October, and it’s still slated to run for another ten days.

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Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp has continually extended the state’s gas tax holiday, while Governor Ron DeSantis has refrained from using his executive powers to suspend the gas tax beyond what the Legislature provided.

“I can’t speak to how Georgia does it, but that’s not the Florida model,” said State Representative Sam Garrison (R-Orange Park).

Garrison attributed Governor DeSantis’ reluctance to suspend the gas tax holiday on his own to his political philosophy.

“One of the things on that and any number of things we’ve seen some legislation, which the Governor has supported, in making sure that we don’t have a structure of the laws where we can do things by fiat,” said Garrison.

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But State Representative Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) argued the Governor could have pushed the Legislature harder to pass a longer gas tax holiday.

“It was purely politics. Early on during the legislative session the original proposal was for five months of a gas tax break and then randomly it was shortened to October, the month before the Governor’s reelection bid,” said Eskamani.

Garrison argues unlike Georgia, Florida doesn’t have a state income tax to supplement lost gas tax revenue.

He also said the October holiday was a compromise to ensure the relief targeted Floridians, not tourists.

“And what we found is October typically is the lowest tourist season in the state. And so, typically during tourist season other folks, non-Floridians, will come to Florida and certainly when they fill up their pump those revenues go to repair our roads,” said Garrison.

And the Governor’s Office argues even with only one month, the holiday made an impact.

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“Gas prices in the state were 17th lowest in the nation before the gas tax holiday went into effect and for the month of October, we were able to offer Florida drivers fuel on average at the 5th lowest price in the nation,” said DeSantis Press Secretary Bryan Griffin.

But Eskamani said it’s important to remember where the money came from that made the holiday a reality.

“Despite Governor DeSanits continuously attacking President Biden and blaming President Biden, he’s using the American Rescue Plan federal dollars to pay for these types of programs,” said Eskamani.

Even with the holiday lapsing, Florida’s average gas prices only went up one cent between Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, according to AAA.

They could remain low for a period of time.

According to the Governor’s Office, all fuel bought by suppliers at the discounted rate in October has to be sold at the discounted rate.

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