State Rep. Luke Meerman (R-Coopersville) issued the following statement after the president asked Congress to suspend the federal gas tax, urging Gov. Whitmer to give drivers additional savings at the pump by approving a state gas tax break as proposed by the Legislature:

“I’m the first to celebrate tax savings of any kind for Michigan families – but the federal tax is just one part of the burden at the pump, the state tax is the other. If the governor had worked with the Legislature to temporarily suspend the state gas when we approached her weeks ago, Michigan drivers would have saved hundreds of dollars at a time when they needed it most.

“But it’s not too late – we can still help Michigan’s struggling families – I am calling on the governor to follow in the president’s footsteps by signing a plan to pause the state gas tax as well. We’ve got a surplus of federal stimulus dollars sitting in our state bank accounts – it’s time to pass those savings on to taxpayers.”

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In March, Rep. Meerman joined in the overwhelming, bipartisan support of House Bill 5570, which would have paused Michigan’s 27.2 cents per gallon motor fuel tax for six months to help lower high gas prices. Gov. Whitmer vetoed the bill in April.