Republican lawmakers in the Massachusetts State Senate plan to force a vote on suspending the state's gas tax on Thursday, a move which could save drivers $0.24 per gallon at the pump.
A similar measure introduced by Republicans in the state's House of Representatives failed last week, however, and such a maneuver in the state senate would require bipartisan support, as Democrats control both chambers.
"This is not a gimmick," said state senator Ryan Fattman (R-Webster). "This is real life, every day people struggling."
Proponents of the measure say that they'd be able to offset the loss of income with surplus revenue. Opponents say that taxpayers would wind up paying more for infrastructure, which is what the gas tax is used for in the first place.
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"You might be fixing something, but creating other problems," said state rep. Marcus Devers (D-Lawrence). "The proportion of the amount of money that would be saved in terms of taxes is not so significant."
The state senate was scheduled to meet around 11 a.m. on Thursday.
