PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Palm Beach County Vice Mayor Marci Woodward is taking her efforts to bring local drivers relief at the pump to the state level.
Woodward wrote and sent Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state representative a letter asking leaders to give local governments the authority to temporarily pause local gas taxes to save drivers money at the pump.
WPTV reported at the end of March of Woodward's request into the feasibility of the tax pause in Palm Beach County saying "every little bit would help right now."
During a county commission meeting on Tuesday, Woodward updated commissioners that county staff learned local governments are not allowed to pause local taxes, halting a proposed pause on the county's 12-cent gas tax.
"Empowering counties with this tool would deliver immediate, tangible relief to working families and small businesses across Florida without imposing any new costs on the state. It would also affirm the principle of local control that has served our state so well," said Woodward in the letter to state leaders.
Gas Prices
'Every little bit helps’: How gas tax pause could make gas cheaper
Right now, GasBuddy found the average cost of gas in Palm Beach County is $4.22 per gallon. Pausing the 12-cent tax would save drivers about $2.40 on a 20-gallon fill-up.
Palm Beach County generated $52.6 million from gas taxes in the previous year, according to county records. The revenue funds critical transportation infrastructure, with $33.7 million supporting Palm Tran public transit operations and $18.9 million allocated for road engineering and infrastructure projects.
Mayor Sara Baxter expressed support for tax relief, while emphasizing the need for alternative funding sources. But Woodward argues, because the gas tax would be temporary, that funding wouldn't permanently reduce revenue streams.
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"This limitation prevents counties from exercising the same kind of nimble, localized response that the legislature and you have demonstrated in the past. In 2022, you successfully championed a state level gas tax holiday that provided meaningful relief to Floridians when prices spiked. Giving counties parallel flexibility for their own portion of the fuel tax would allow us to respond quickly to regional conditions, while preserving the overall structure of the local option tax system," said Woodward in her letter.
Last month, DeSantis dismissed the idea of a gas tax holiday, saying past tax breaks didn't produce meaningful savings for drivers.
He argues global markers and federal policy are largely driving the higher prices.
It's a notable shift from four years ago, when he backed a gas tax cut ahead of re-election, like Woodward stated in her letter.
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