TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — With gas prices climbing and flirting with $4 a gallon in parts of Florida, drivers hoping for immediate relief from the state may be out of luck.
Governor Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) said this week he does not support another gas tax holiday, arguing previous efforts failed to deliver meaningful savings for consumers. According to AAA, Florida gas prices are currently hovering above the national average, driven in large part by global market pressures and ongoing war with Iran.
WATCH: Florida drivers feel the squeeze, but gas tax relief unlikely
“I don't think the consumer really felt relief, because of the way the prices fluctuate,” DeSantis said at a press event in Manatee County Thursday. “And obviously these [gas] stations can have some room for play in the joints. I think the ultimate solution is to make sure that you have good markets and energy internationally.”
The governor’s comments mark a notable shift from his stance just a few years ago. In 2021, DeSantis proposed a roughly $1 billion gas tax cut, pitching it as a way to combat rising inflation under President Joe Biden.
“You know, we're taking over 25 cents from Florida, and we will basically zero that out for as long as we can, and do over a billion dollars,” DeSantis said at the time. “That's going to make a huge, huge deal.”
Lawmakers ultimately scaled that plan back, approving about $200 million in relief through a one month gas tax holiday in October 2022 — just ahead of DeSantis’ reelection bid in November. Democrats criticized the move as politically motivated.
Now, with prices rising again, some are calling for similar action.
“We've done that in the past when there have been increases in the gas tax. Let's do it right now,” said Senate Minority Leader Lori Berman. “Because of the war in Iran, gas prices are going crazy.”
Berman and other Democrats pushed for a gas tax holiday during the recent legislative session, but the proposal gained little traction in the Republican-controlled Legislature. She argues lawmakers missed an opportunity to address high cost of living concerns.
“It's really a shame that we've had 60 days and we have almost nothing to show the state for affordability issues,” Berman said.
DeSantis, meanwhile, maintains that fuel prices are largely shaped by factors beyond state control. He suggested tax holidays may offer only temporary or negligible relief, as price fluctuations and market adjustments can offset the savings. The governor reiterated his hope that lawmakers will come together in the coming weeks and approve property tax reform for the November ballot.
“I’ve said it's property tax that that's the best thing we can do,” DeSantis said. “That we can actually control and deliver big relief to people for our homestead Floridians, and that has been my focus, and that is something that would be meaningful.”
The debate comes as Florida lawmakers remain deadlocked on a broader state budget, with the House and Senate still more than a billion dollars apart on spending levels. The stalemate makes any additional tax relief proposals — including a gas tax holiday — unlikely in the near term.
Still, with special legislative sessions expected later this year to address the budget and other unresolved issues, the idea could resurface. For now, though, drivers across Florida appear likely to keep paying higher prices at the pump — without help from Tallahassee.
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