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Gasoline prices are on nearly everyone's minds these days.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the last time gasoline prices were near what we see now was during the George W. Bush administration in 2008, when the national average for the month was $4.114. The EIA reported the national average on Friday was $4.239 for a gallon of regular gasoline, though there's no telling what that will mean for the month's average.
That is painful enough for politicians to start looking for ways to claim they've made a difference. To that end, Democratic state lawmakers in West Virginia have been asking for a 30-day suspension of the state's gasoline tax of 35.7 cents per gallon.
It would cost $35 million out of surplus tax collections to cover the loss to the State Road Fund. Further, as pointed out by state Senate President Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, and state House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, such a move would hurt bond ratings.
"We completely support tax reductions, but because of decisions we have made as a Legislature, we cannot just pivot and decide we want to press pause on what is bonded revenue," Blair and Hanshaw said.
Gov. Jim Justice aimed squarely at the real reason for the political ploy.
"At the end of the 30 days, are (Democratic lawmakers) going to be the ones who advocate to put it back?" he said.
A knee-jerk, politically theatric reaction to just one of a host of economic challenges faced by West Virginians doesn't do us any favors. In fact, it could hurt us. Elected officials would better spend their time looking for long-term solutions for the expansion and diversification of our economy and energy base.