Georgia Gas Tax is on the Rise

These days we’re all having to pinch our pennies. Now consumers may have to fork over some additional spare change when the gas tax increases by three cents.

Middle Georgians say they’re not surprised gas is going up, but they’re also not happy.

“It really upsets me, I’m about to just get on a bus or something because it would be cheaper to do that,” said Aaron Keene.

Susan Work says, “It just causes me to be more mindful where I spend every penny that I have and I have to modify my budget accordingly.”

There are currently two taxes on fuel. The state tax is 7.5 cents per gallon. There’s an additional sales tax on top of that. That sales tax is set the first of the year and the first of July. If the price of gas goes up by more than 25% between those months, the second tax increases.

Governor Nathan Deal’s spokesperson Brian Robinson says, “Well everywhere in the world has had a 25% increase so that triggered the state law, which results in a recalculation of the sales tax and that’s where we are now.”

Governor Deal feels suspending a tax is an action that should be done in coordination with the legislature. He thinks that is constitutionally the best way to go forward.