(5-2-26) Gov. DeWine is rejecting any proposal to suspend Ohio’s gas tax to help ease the pain at the pump.

  • The idea being discussed was to suspend Ohio’s motor fuel tax — which is 38.5 ¢ per gallon for gasoline and 47 ¢ per gallon for diesel — for about three months to provide relief to drivers.  
  • Rep. Ty Mathews (R-Findlay) and others argued a temporary suspension could help motorists and businesses (like trucking companies) facing high fuel costs.  
  • Gov. DeWine opposed that plan, saying the revenue from the tax is essential for road and bridge maintenance and other transportation infrastructure work. He emphasized that withholding that funding would harm the state’s ability to keep highways safe and in good repair.  
  • He also noted that due to inflation, the purchasing power of gas tax revenue has dropped since 2020, making the funds even more critical for maintaining infrastructure.  

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has publicly rejected a proposal from state lawmakers to suspend the state’s gas tax, even as gasoline prices reach around $5 per gallon in parts of the state.  

DeWine said-

“These are always tough choices, but the answer, I think it would be a very grave disservice to the people of the state of Ohio to suspend that user tax, which is really what it is, and I think Ohioans would feel the pain of that in the months ahead as our roads deteriorate,” 

Rep. Ty Mathews (R-Findlay) said a bill is being drafted to see how they can help Ohioans.

Mathews said –

“What good are Ohio roads if Ohioans can’t even use them, or they’re using them less?” he said. “We can go back and forth, on again, where is that threshold, you know, what can we do as a state, what can’t we do? But just to chalk it up and say we can’t do anything, I don’t accept that answer.”

State Gas Tax Compared to Ohio and Its Neighbors

Approx. Gas Tax (¢/gallon) Compared to Ohio

  • Ohio 38.5¢
  • Indiana 54.5¢
  • Michigan 48.2¢
  • Pennsylvania 58.7¢
  • West Virginia 35.7¢
  • Kentucky 26–27¢

Total Federal + State Tax

Ohio~56.5¢ per gallon

Indiana~67.8¢ per gallon

Michigan~63.1¢ per gallon

Pennsylvania~76.7¢ per gallon

West Virginia~53.7¢ per gallon

Kentucky~44¢ per gallon

Here’s a clear breakdown of how Ohio’s gas tax works:

What is the tax?

Ohio charges a motor fuel tax on every gallon of fuel sold in the state.

  • 38.5 cents per gallon on gasoline
  • 47 cents per gallon on diesel

The tax is set by state law and added to the price you pay at the pump.

Who pays it?

Technically, fuel distributors pay the tax to the state — but the cost is built into the retail price. So drivers ultimately pay it when they fill up.

Where does the money go?

Revenue from the gas tax goes into the state’s Highway Operating Fund, which pays for:

  • Road construction and resurfacing
  • Bridge repair and replacement
  • Snow and ice removal
  • Highway safety improvements
  • Local road funding for cities and counties

It does not go into Ohio’s general budget for things like schools or healthcare.

Why is it important?

Gas tax revenue is one of the main ways Ohio funds transportation infrastructure.
When lawmakers or officials like Mike DeWine oppose suspending it, the concern is that:

  • Road and bridge projects could be delayed
  • Local governments would lose funding
  • Long-term infrastructure maintenance would suffer

Does inflation affect it?

Yes. Because it’s a fixed cents-per-gallon tax, it doesn’t automatically rise with inflation. That means when construction costs go up, the same tax brings in less buying power.