Alabama gubernatorial candidate Lynda Blanchard said during a press conference Tuesday that, if elected governor, she would work to repeal the 2019 gas tax to combat rising inflation and oil prices affecting Alabamians.
At a gas station on Lurleen B Wallace Blvd S in Tuscaloosa, Blanchard emphasized the impact of high gasoline prices on residents of the state and called on incumbent Governor Kay Ivey and state legislators to suspend the gas tax immediately.
The event provided a launching ground for the campaign’s new media blitz aimed at the gas tax. Blanchard also announced Tuesday an online petition to pressure Gov. Ivey and the State House to steps toward suspending and ultimately repealing the gas tax.
“It’s the job of our state leaders, like the Governor, to find solutions to help our people, and I believe that starts with putting more of your money back in your pockets,” Blanchard said. “I will be the Governor that finally steps up, rolls up her sleeves, and gets it done.”
Blanchard cited a recent study conducted by SmartAsset that showed Alabamians pay a disproportionate amount of their median household income on gas and are the most affected citizens in the U.S. by the recent uptick in gas prices.
“A recent study showed that increasing prices at the pump are impacting Alabamians more than any other state in the nation,” Blanchard said, referring to the study. “I know you need help immediately! Today, not tomorrow, not after the election. That’s why we are here today.”
In March of 2019, Gov. Ivey signed the now 10-cent-a-gallon gas tax into law, increasing the gas price in Alabama via state tax for the first time since the end of the Cold War. The incremental increase stepped up gas prices by 2 cents each year since 2020, with the original rise in 2019 being 6 cents.
The addition of repeal of the gas tax to the campaign’s legislative priorities comes after recent pollings show Blanchard last among gubernatorial candidates on the Republican ticket.
The Republican Primary is scheduled for May. 24.
