Americans – including right here in Kentucky – are struggling to pay the bills due to rising prices brought on by bad federal policy, unlawful tariffs and the war with Iran. Families are having a hard time paying rent, buying groceries or filling up the gas tank, let alone the occasional dinner out or that summer vacation.
My goal as governor is to help Kentucky families. Every dollar I can put back in the pockets of Kentuckians is one dollar more for the things that matter. That’s why my administration filed an emergency regulation to freeze the gas tax at 26.4 cents per gallon ahead of an expected increase to 27 cents per gallon on July 1. It’s also why I signed an executive order to reduce the state gas tax by 10 cents, which delivered lower gas and diesel prices across the Commonwealth.
My belief is that government is here to help our people and the state can and will make up any potential financial hit. Republican officials in the General Assembly disagree and oppose my efforts to save Kentuckians money at the pump. In fact, they called it “political pandering.” My question is, are they also saying that President Trump is pandering, since he is pushing this very step at the federal level?
I let the president know of the “pandering” accusations in a letter where I offered my support for his efforts to temporarily suspend the federal gas tax to provide relief to American families. I also encouraged him to resolve the conflict with Iran and open the Strait of Hormuz as quickly as possible.
You see, the price of gas isn’t partisan. It’s not Democrat or Republican. It’s just too high. I don’t agree with President Trump on most things. But I do agree that lowering soaring gas prices to help American families is the right thing to do. Playing politics isn’t.
This November, check and see: Did your state representative and senator put your budget first or theirs? Did they agree or disagree with me – or for that matter, with Donald Trump?
Andy Beshear is the 63rd Governor of Kentucky.