Locals react to President Biden’s proposal to give drivers a break from the federal gas tax

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live)- Gas prices are still hovering around $5 a gallon, on average nationwide.

President Joe Biden is calling on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax with the hope of providing some relief.

Many economists say this is just a band-aid solution for the real issue.

“Well according to that one, it cost me $98.41,” said Ron Anderson, a local motorist.

Anderson is like many motorists feeling the effects of rising gas prices.

President Biden is now proposing that Congress put a 3-month pause on the federal gas tax.

“By suspending the 18-cent federal gas tax for the next 90 days, we can bring down the price of gas and give families just a little bit of relief,” said Biden.

He’s also calling on state government leaders to take the same action to help ease the cost at the pump.

“State gas tax averages 30 cents per gallon,” Biden said.

Not everyone is convinced this is a feasible solution for fixing the problem in the future.

“Certainly, it’s a bit of relief, but I think it short-sided. we need to think of the long-term,” said Anderson.

A finance professor at Concordia College says there are some drawbacks to the Biden Administration’s proposal.

“Gas prices right now are expensive right now because there is an issue of supply and demand,” said Dr. Angel Carrete. “If Biden is trying to make gas cheaper, it would have an indirect effect of people consuming more gas, so it’s going to push prices up pretax.”

The federal gas tax provides a critical fund used for the country’s infrastructure...

Suspending the tax would cost the “Highway Trust Fund” $10 billion.

“I think it’s a pretty silly thing when they passed a huge infrastructure bill just a while ago and now they are going to take the federal gas tax off and lose all that money to infrastructure,” Anderson said.

President Biden says he believes the country can afford the gas tax break while using other revenue resources to pay for infrastructure.

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