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With the price of gas, particularly diesel fuel, out of control, the Republican-controlled state Legislature will meet in special session Wednesday to vote on eliminating Ohio's gas tax for 90 days.
The session came at the urging of Vivek Ramaswamy, the GOP nominee for governor. Ramaswamy's call for a gas holiday came about 6 1/2 hours after Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for governor, said one was needed.
A skeptic could describe what is happening as a political ploy as Ramaswamy and his allies have spent millions of dollars to discredit Acton and he needs something to help boost his campaign. I can't recall the Legislature calling a special session at the request of a candidate running for governor.
Ohio last elected a Democrat as governor in 2006. Before that, it was 1986.
In Ohio, the entire executive branch is currently Republican and has been since January 2011. The two U.S. senators are Republican, the party has a 64-34 advantage in the Ohio House (with one vacancy that Republicans could fill any time they choose) and a 23-9 advantage in the state Senate (with one vacancy that the GOP could fill when they want).
Since party affiliation was put on the ballot for Ohio Supreme Court candidates in 2022, Republicans haven't lost a single race and the only Democrat who remains on the high court is Jennifer Brunner, who was elected in 2020, before party affiliation was on the ballot, and lost in 2022 for chief justice to Republican Sharon L. Kennedy.
Yet polls show a statistical dead heat in the governor's race. I don't have a lot of faith in polls at this time of the year, but they are snapshots as to what the race looks like at this moment.
With the cost of a gallon in Ohio of regular gas at $4.42 and diesel at $6.80 as of Thursday, according to AAA, compared to $2.96 and $3.68, respectively, a year ago, removing the state's gas tax seems like a popular decision.
The state's tax on regular gas is 38.5 cents a gallon and 47 cents on diesel. That wouldn't reduce the price of gas to what it was even just a month ago -- $4.02 for regular and $5.72 for diesel, according to AAA -- but something has to be done.
Ramaswamy said the 90-day gas tax suspension would save the average family about $165 and the typical semitruck driver about $1,800 during that time.
Ramaswamy and those speaking at a Wednesday news conference -- including Senate President Rob McColley, his lieutenant governor running mate -- said the special session next week is not intended to be political and boost their chances in the Nov. 3 election. It's being done to help people.
It was the record high for diesel that "caused us to take action," Ramaswamy said.
"The diesel prices were the final straw for us," he said. "Against the backdrop of a budget where we had the capacity to do it, it made all the sense in the world to see this through."
The state Legislature recessed in mid-June and wasn't scheduled to return until after the general election.
When the House and Senate return next week it will be for the sole purpose of voting on the gas tax holiday.
We can all use some extra money, but there are plenty of other pressing issues that deserve attention between now and the election.
Instead, the Legislature will rush through proposals during the few weeks left in the year after the Nov. 3 election in what isn't the most effective way to get things accomplished.
Regarding the 90-day suspension of the state's gas tax, a two-thirds vote is needed by both chambers for the bill to pass by emergency measure. That means 66 votes in the House. There are 64 Republicans so the support of at least two Democrats, and all the Republicans, are needed for it to pass. It's less of an issue with the Senate with 22 votes needed and Republicans having 23 members to nine for Democrats though with absences and possibly a Republican going rogue, support from the other side of the aisle could be needed.
Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said: "Democrats who vote against this bill are doing it at their peril."
But House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, said, "Ramaswamy's knee-jerk response to Dr. Acton's plan has demonstrated no understanding of how the state government works, how the budget is structured or how taxpayer dollars should be spent."
Isaacsohn said the Ohio Department of Transportation "does not have surplus funding. Ramaswamy's proposal to raid road and bridge money is irresponsible and will negatively impact everyday Ohioans. It either demonstrates confusion about how the job he's running for works or a recklessness about the safety and stability of our state."
House Democrats have largely stuck together so it's going to be challenging to pick off even two of them to back this.
Without two-thirds support from both chambers, the bill would take effect 90 days after its passage.
That is assuming Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, doesn't veto the bill.
The gas holiday would cost the state about $678 million in lost revenue, according to Ramaswamy's campaign. That tax is used by the ODOT to fund road and bridge work.
ODOT's largest fund, for highway operating, has just under $1.6 billion in it with "no money in the account that is not planned for future projects," said Pete LuPiba, spokesman for the Ohio Office of Budget and Management.
Ramaswamy explained that lost ODOT money would be replaced by dollars in the General Revenue Fund.
If needed, Ramaswamy said the state's Rainy Day Fund could be used though McColley said he doubted it has to be touched.
Ramaswamy also said the ODOT fund and the Rainy Day Fund would have its money restored through the state retaining more money from fighting Medicaid fraud.
David Skolnick covers politics for the Tribune Chronicle and The Vindicator.