By Charles Boothe, Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — A move to try to put a temporary pause on the state gas tax may be dead, but state leaders have not yet abandoned the idea of trying to find a way to help residents with the extra cost burdens they are now facing.
Gov. Jim Justice said recently that will be a topic of discussion at some point.
Democrats first proposed a pause in the 35.7-cent per gallon state tax, but Republican leadership shot it down, saying it would disrupt the flow of $35 million a month to highway upkeep and projects and it posed legal problems as well.
Justice was initially considering the idea, but then said there was no point because it would be dead on arrival in a special session because the GOP has a super majority in both the House and Senate.
State Sen. Chandler Swope also said recently ways to possibly help residents ease the gas price burden will likely be discussed, but the gas tax pause was a non-starter…
