This Thanksgiving Day Week, Motorists Will See Gas Prices at their Highest Level Since 2014

Amid the rising cost of motor fuels, the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance has challenged Governor Charlie Baker to apply his two-month sales tax free holiday idea toward the state’s 24 cents per gallon gasoline tax as motorists prepare to travel for the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and holiday seasons. In June, Governor Baker made a push to use excess tax revenue to pay for a two-month sales tax relief for shoppers. Now, with Massachusetts motorists seeing the highest cost of gasoline fuels since 2012, and with the state flush with cash, MassFiscal is challenging Gov. Baker to apply the same rationale for motorists.

Thanksgiving week gasoline prices 2011-2021

Source: AAA Northeast historical gas price data

“Gov. Baker should do everything he can to provide relief for motorists who have to drive to work, pick up their kids from school, and make long journeys over the holidays to see family and friends. With the state swimming in cash, his administration could temporarily not collect the state’s gas tax. This is what he should be thinking about as millions of Massachusetts residents travel over the holidays,” stated Paul Diego Craney, spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. Massachusetts collects approximately $50 million in gas tax revenue per month.

Last week, Governor Baker’s efforts to enroll Massachusetts into the Transportation & Climate Initiative (TCI) gas tax scheme fell apart. Originally envisioned as a compact of 12 different states stretching from Virginia to Maine, Massachusetts was the only state to fully commit itself to the scheme. TCI was championed by Governor Baker as a way to drive up fuel costs in order to lower demand, as well as to collect more money from motorists without calling it a tax. MassFiscal is hoping Governor Baker has had enough time since TCI’s demise to see the value in lowering energy costs for motorists. 

“With his withdrawal from TCI, we are hopeful that Governor Baker now sees the value in lowering the cost of motor fuels for Massachusetts families. It was just last week that he was actively trying to raise them. When he first ran in 2014, he understood the importance of fuel prices to the working people of Massachusetts. He now has an opportunity to help motorists when they could use his leadership the most. We hope he takes it,” concluded Craney.