Some states suspend gas tax as Americans feel pressure at the pump

Several states have suspended their gas tax to help Americans cover soar pump prices in recent weeks. 

Last week, Connecticut became the most recent state to suspend its 25-cents-per-gallon tax from April until June, following the lead of states such as Maryland and Georgia.

Lawmakers in Ohio, where gas prices have risen 21% in just the past month, are also considering such a tax cut, which  if enacted could cost the state as much as $4 billion in revenue over the next half-decade.

Gas taxes were already on an uncomfortably steep rise before Russia Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, disrupting the global flow of energy and sending prices skyrocketing in ways not seen in years.

Some states are seeing prices top $5 per gallon. In California, that number is edging toward $6 a gallon, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed an $11 billion relief package that would pause the state's gas tax and provide free public transportation to residents. 

The Biden administration has thus far released 80 million barrels of crude oil from the country's Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease energy prices. The has so far made not significant impact on lowering gas prices.

Several members of Congress are calling for a suspension of the federal gas tax, which is 18 cents a gallon, though the proposal has been met with bipartisan opposition.