As gas prices soar, former Gov. Paul LePage is calling on Gov. Janet Mills and the legislature to reduce Maine's gas tax by at least 50% until tourist season. That would translate into a $30 million loss in revenue for the state, much of which is used for road maintenance and repair. But LePage said Mainers need relief at the pump.
"I am concerned about our roads, but I'm more concerned about Maine people being able to eat than our roads," LePage said.
A spokesperson for the Maine Department of Transportation said LePage's proposal would save the average Maine driver about $22 over three months.
Speaking across the street from a gas station in Falmouth Tuesday morning, LePage also said the Maine Turnpike Authority should cut tolls in half for the next 90 days.
"I'd like them to go to at least until we see if we're going to have a tourist season. Because I think we want to bring it back when the tourists come," LePage said.
His request comes a day after state Republican Representative Laurel Libby submitted a bill to eliminate the gas tax for the rest of the year.
Gov. Mills' campaign manager says she wants to provide direct relief to Mainers through her proposal to deliver $750 checks from the state's budget surplus.
