Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin announced his plan to combat rising gas prices in his state Monday while delivering a speech to ChamberRVA.
What an honor to speak to the @ChamberRVA, together we are unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit of Virginia. Let’s get to work! pic.twitter.com/AH8K02DfWk
— Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) March 7, 2022
During his speech, the Governor blamed the current energy price hikes as results of bad energy policies at the federal level. Youngkin also admitted that inflation could not be fixed through the actions of one state’s governor alone, however, continued his push to suspend Virginia’s gas tax increase for one year.
“We have constrained the development of American energy; it has made matters even worse. But we can eliminate unnecessary taxes that have been added on top of already increasing prices,” Youngkin said.
Youngkin’s plan for a gas tax exemption was included in his “Day One Game Plan” for tax reforms.
Aside from Youngkin’s gas tax exemption push, a declared state of emergency could activate the Virginia price gouging law, according to the Office of the Attorney General. The Virginia Post-Disaster Anti-Price Gouging Act prohibits a “supplier” from charging unconscionable prices for “necessary goods and services” within the affected area during the 30-day period following the declared state of emergency. The act applies to necessary goods and services that would increase in demand due to the disaster. However, it is only activated when the governor or the president declares a state of emergency covering parts of Virginia.
The average price for a gallon of gasoline hit a new record high on Monday at $4.07, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). The national average price for a gallon of gas has not been this high since July 2008. In Virginia, the average was at $3.98 per gallon on Monday. AAA also lists Virginia among the top 10 states who have seen the largest weekly gas price increases, coming in at +55 cents.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Glenn Youngkin” by Glenn Youngkin. Background Photo “Gas Pumps at BP Station” by Ben Schumin. CC BY-SA 2.0.
