Gas tax suspensions offer temporary relief. ARC-ES would make affordable energy permanent.

October 13, 2026

By Gary Abernathy

Several states, including Ohio where I live, have reduced or suspended their gas taxes to help motorists better afford filling their tanks while pump prices are elevated, in part due to the Iran war. Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia,Indiana and Utah have suspended or reduced various gas and diesel taxes, while other states have relaxed regulations in an effort to lower prices.

In some states, the relief will last only a few weeks. In Ohio, lawmakers recently passed a 90-day suspension of the gas tax, which amounts to 38.5 cents per gallon on gas and 47 cents per gallon on diesel. That suspension is scheduled to expire on Jan. 2, 2027.

While well-intentioned, this band-aid approach is evidence of just how important energy costs are to the quality of life of virtually all Americans. If lowering pump prices by 30 or 40 cents a gallon is crucial when prices rise, isn’t it even more important to keep energy affordable year-round? And what is being done to help families and businesses facing higher energy costs across the board, not just at the gas pump?

While wars or supply chain interruptions can temporarily spike energy prices, the most consistent factors leading to higher costs across all traditional energy sectors have been subsidies and regulations aimed at forcing “alternatives” onto the public as part of a heavy-handed governmental effort to drive our most affordable and reliable choices, such as natural gas, out of business.

That’s why enacting the Affordable, Reliable, Clean Energy Security (ARC-ES) Act, introduced in Congress last year, would usher in a lasting era of low energy prices. ARC-ES would ensure more consistently affordable baseline costs even in times of international upheaval, lessening the need for playing games with taxes, regulations and strategic reserves. And ARC-ES represents a bottom-up approach that lifts all boats – the smallest boats first, meaning families and small businesses.

The genius is in its simplicity. ARC-ES – whether passed by Congress or enacted by a presidential executive order – would guarantee that our most cost-effective and dependable fuel sources will remain part of the mix, and that affordability will always be the driving force in energy policy. The implementation of ARC-ES would yield results so immediate and effective that no future presidents or lawmakers would be tempted to reverse it.

The need for permanent relief from high energy costs highlights the stakes of the coming midterm elections. While Democrats are busy blaming President Trump and Republicans for the pain at the pump, what they don’t tell you is that most of them support reinstating Biden administration policies attacking fossil fuels, subsidizing “alternatives” (higher taxes for everyone), and giving government more power and control – always a recipe for disaster.

Temporary relief from high costs in the form of tax suspensions is somewhat helpful in the short term. When announcing passage of the gas tax suspension in Ohio, elected officials defended the action with a variety of explanations.

“This will give some relief to people throughout the state of Ohio. Gas is so high today, we know that it really hurts people,” said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R).

“This represents significant savings that hard working families need now more than ever,” said Republican Senate President Rob McColley.

But State Rep. Cindy Abrams (R) hit the nail on the head when she said, “Why not offer people some savings at the pump? And quite frankly, that’s going to relate to our groceries and everything that we buy. Clothing – wherever you’re shopping, you have to truck those goods to get to the stores.”

How true. But here’s the kicker – that’s always true. The price of energy always directly impacts the cost of virtually all other goods and services. Why aren’t we doing everything in our power to keep energy costs affordable, every day of every month, year after year, decade after decade, rather than only in response to unusual circumstances?

Eventually the gas tax holidays will expire and, no matter how low prices come down on their own, they’ll suddenly bounce back up when the suspensions end. In Ohio, that will mean a jump of nearly 40-cents a gallon on Jan. 2. Ouch.

Permanent relief is what is really needed, and there are two crucial ingredients in the recipe for success.

First, voters must elect candidates this November who believe in energy independence and security, and who trust the free market more than the government to choose winners and losers. There is no more important issue to consider when casting our ballots than a candidate’s position on energy.

Second, we must make affordable fuels part of the fabric of society by implementing ARC-ES, either through congressional action or presidential executive order – ensuring that energy security is a fundamental guarantee for American families and businesses now and for decades to come.

Gary Abernathy is a longtime newspaper editor, reporter and columnist. He was a contributing columnist for the Washington Post from 2017-2023 and a frequent guest analyst across numerous media platforms. He is a contributing opinion columnist for The Empowerment Alliance, which advocates for realistic approaches to energy consumption and environmental conservation.