Ohio Suspends Gas Tax While Massachusetts Proposal Faces Resistance
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine implemented a 90-day fuel tax holiday to lower prices, while Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey's similar request faces legislative opposition.
Governors in Ohio and Massachusetts have pursued divergent strategies to address rising fuel prices linked to disrupted oil shipping routes and conflict with Iran. Mike DeWine, Governor of Ohio, signed House Bill 519 on October 1, 2026, implementing a 90-day suspension of state gasoline and diesel taxes effective October 4. The measure eliminates 38.5 cents per gallon on gasoline and 47 cents per gallon on diesel, with the state allocating $725 million from general revenue to maintain road maintenance funding.
Early reports from Ohio indicate immediate price drops, with unleaded gasoline falling nearly 10 cents and diesel decreasing by approximately 30 cents overnight. While Republican leaders and some Democrats supported the move, other statehouse Democrats criticized the bill as rushed and politically motivated. Supporters, including gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Senate President Rob McColley, expressed confidence that the majority of the savings would reach consumers despite market volatility.
In contrast, Governor Maura Healey of Massachusetts requested that the state legislature suspend the 24-cent-per-gallon gas tax for two months as part of a $2.24 billion supplemental budget request. Although Healey estimated the move would save drivers $120 million, the Massachusetts Legislature has shown significant resistance. The House previously defeated a similar amendment, and leadership has indicated little support for revisiting the proposal this year.
