WOBURN -- Beleaguered commuters and truckers have been bearing the brunt of a vicious gas supply crisis, driving prices at the pump well beyond $4 per gallon.
On Wednesday, Republican lawmakers on Beacon Hill held a press conference to promote a simple solution: temporarily suspend the state's gas tax until costs sufficiently come back down.
Earlier this month, House Democrats used a voice-vote to kill a Republican-led amendment to temporarily shelf the state gas tax, meaning not a single Democrat had to see their name listed as a "no" on a proposal that would have provided a helping hand to truckers and commuters alike.
Democratic House speaker Ron Mariano dismissed the proposal as a "stunt" while other Democrats dismissed it as a "gimmick."
On Wednesday, Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman Jim Lyons reminded Mariano and other lawmakers that they're the same people voted to give themselves lucrative travel stipends to shield themselves from the same pain commuters and truckers are currently experiencing.
"Their refusal to even consider giving people a helping hand shows just how completely out-of-touch the Democrats are with Massachusetts workers," Lyons said.
Sutton Republican state Sen. Ryan Fattman is planning on reintroducing the amendment to temporarily halt the state gas tax when the Massachusetts State Senate convenes tomorrow, and has already introduced a standalone bill.
"The Democrats are the ones who immediately shut down all of the progress made under the last presidency to make American energy-independent, a decision that is predictably hurting Americans," Lyons said. "Massachusetts Democrats would be wise to stop dismissing Republican efforts to lend a helping hand to truckers and commuters as a 'stunt.'"
