SANDUSKY — Erie County residents and business owners say rising gas prices are forcing them to make difficult financial choices, as two Ohio gubernatorial candidates call for an emergency state gas-tax holiday.
Lisa Jones said she used to spend about $30 to fill up her car.
"I have a little small car, and it costs me $60," Jones said.
For Jones, that extra $30 isn't just pumping up her gas bill — it's cutting into the money she has for other necessities.
"It's taking away some of my grocery money because the gas is so high. I mean, this is ridiculous. Come on now. I mean, I get it, it's a war going on over there, but you need to do something," Jones said.
Richard Maple said the rising prices are pushing him toward a smaller vehicle.
"I'm thinking about getting something smaller and easier on gas, because you just can't afford to keep putting gas. And try to eat too," Maple said.
Gas prices have jumped recently, and it's not just drivers feeling the pain. Businesses that rely on the road are seeing their costs climb, too.
"We have three, four trucks, and, you know, we're filling up twice a week at 150 bucks a pop. Now it's over 200, you know, a minimum," Mark St. Clair said.
St. Clair owns a local pool-cleaning company in Sandusky. He said rising gas costs are forcing him to make a tough choice — pass those higher costs on to customers or absorb them himself.
"We do so many calls a day, you know, these trucks are on the road six days a week, and it's just our costs are going up, up, up, and it's almost to the point where we got to raise all of our prices to the customers," St. Clair said.
With prices climbing, both Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton — the two major-party candidates for Ohio governor — are calling for an emergency state gas-tax holiday. The federal gas tax is currently 18.4 cents per gallon, and the federal diesel tax is 24.4 cents per gallon.
Jones said suspending the gas tax could provide some much-needed relief.
"Please, please, because these prices are extremely high. You barely can make it from point A to point B with the amount of money you got to spend," Jones said.
St. Clair, though, sees it differently.
"It's just a temporary solution for a bigger problem is all it is," St. Clair said.
Experts believe that as the war in Iran escalates, prices will increase into the fall and holiday months.
Maya Lockett is the Erie, Huron and Richland counties reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @MayaLockett, on Facebook MayaLockettWEWS or email her at Maya.Lockett@wews.com.
