For Immediate Release
Date: Monday, September 28, 2026
Contact: Jason Warner, Director of Strategic Engagement
614.224.0187 or jwarner@greaterohio.org
Statement from Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) on Proposed Motor Fuel Tax Suspension
Ohioans are feeling the strain of rising costs. In many of the communities GOPC works with, families face difficult choices about how to pay for fuel, groceries and housing. We understand the desire to provide immediate relief.
We are concerned, however, about what suspending the motor fuel tax would mean for Ohio’s transportation system. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, inflation has reduced the tax’s purchasing power by 30% in less than a decade, and motor fuel tax revenue could fall nearly $1.5 billion short of transportation needs by 2050. Suspending collections would add to that funding challenge.
Until we have a clear and sustainable plan for truly affording our current transportation assets and new ones we are considering in the future; we have reservations about forgoing motor fuel tax collections.
Ohioans need relief today, and communities need reliable funding to maintain safe roads and bridges for years to come.
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