While gas prices continue to rise, a local state legislator says the state will not institute a gas tax holiday.
As of this morning, Manitowoc County’s average price for regular unleaded fuel was at $4.51, according to AAA.
That is a five-cent per-gallon increase since this time last week, and a nearly $2.00 jump since the end of February.
Meanwhile, Sheboygan County motorists saw an eight-cent per-gallon jump over the past week to the same average of $4.51.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun declared a gas tax holiday in the state back at the beginning of April to help alleviate some of the burden on taxpayers.
That is an option in Wisconsin, but State Representative Paul Tittl of Manitowoc said, while on WOMT’s Be My Guest, that it will not happen.
“A lot of our road funding comes through gas tax,” he explained. “We already have enough problems with our roads, and now we are going to have less funding? No.”
That decision was made during a recent legislative session, with the group specifically pointing to the difference in how the gas tax holiday works in each state.
In Indiana, the holiday suspends the 7% usage tax on fuel, while in Wisconsin, Rep. Tittl explained, “We don’t do a percentage. We do a strict 30.9 cents per gallon in the State.”
Elsewhere around the area, Calumet County’s average is up six cents to $4.53, while Outagamie County saw the largest increase, 15 cents, leaving their average at $4.50.
Brown County’s average is up four cents to $4.48, Kewaunee County reported a two-cent bump to $4.50, and Door County’s average is up eight cents per gallon to $4.54.
While the State of Wisconsin continues to see a rise in gas prices, the national average is actually on its way down.
Over the past two weeks, the average price per gallon of fuel rose 15 cents to $4.55, while the national average is down a nickel to $4.48.
