As average gas prices in Florida climb toward $4.00 a gallon, Democratic leaders are calling on Governor Ron DeSantis to provide immediate financial relief by temporarily suspending the state’s gas tax.
Senate Democratic Leader, State Sen. Shevrin Jones, intensified the pressure by sending a formal letter to the Governor’s office. Highlighting the growing strain on household budgets, Jones emphasized that the current economic climate has forced many Floridians into impossible situations.
“I sent this letter to the Governor today because Floridians are being pushed to the edge,” Sen. Jones shared via Instagram. “Right now, folks are choosing between filling their tank to get to work or putting food on the table. And it’s not abstract either, this is what working families across our state are dealing with every single day. We have the ability to act and lower costs at the pump right now. So the question is simple: are we going to act or not?”
Under the Senator’s post, the comments reflect a mix of hope and deep-seated frustration. One user, @UserFaithful, wrote, “Excellent letter senator, God bless you always,” while another skeptic, @FloridaVoter88, countered, “Yes because letters have been so effective thus far in this nightmare.”
The push for a tax holiday comes as the state grapples with a sharp spike in fuel costs. According to reporting from NBC 6, the average price for a gallon of gas in Florida hit $3.95 this week—a significant jump from $2.89 in late February. Some regions, including Miami-Dade and Broward counties, have already seen averages surpass the $4.00 mark.
While the increase affects all drivers, recent data indicates that Black and Brown households are disproportionately burdened by these spikes. In 2025-2026, Florida remains one of the states with the highest levels of income inequality. Nationwide, the median household income for Black families currently sits near $56,500, significantly lower than the $84,600 average for White households. In South Florida specifically, where the cost of living is notoriously high, Hispanic and Black workers earn roughly 20-25% less than their White counterparts on average.
Research from community and policy organizations shows that lower-income households often devote up to 31% of their income to transportation costs. For minority communities—who are more likely to hold essential roles requiring physical commutes—gas price hikes act as a regressive tax, forcing difficult tradeoffs between fuel, rent, and groceries.
Democrats in the state Legislature are specifically requesting a temporary lift of the state’s 23.5-cent per gallon gas tax. Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman noted that the state is currently “sitting on billions of dollars in reserves,” arguing that these funds should be utilized to address the “affordability crisis” facing residents.
Governor DeSantis, however, has expressed skepticism regarding a state-level fix. While appearing at PIER 22 in Bradenton, he suggested that the primary solution lies with federal energy policy and international market stability. While the Governor pointed to a forthcoming tax relief package during the mid-April budget session, his current focus remains on a proposed constitutional amendment to lower property taxes.
This is not the first time gas tax relief has been on the table. In 2022, the Legislature successfully implemented a month-long gas tax holiday in October to combat rising costs. Supporters of the current proposal argue that with global oil prices trading near $100 a barrel, the state must once again intervene to protect the pocketbooks of its most vulnerable working families.
As the Legislature prepares to return to Tallahassee, the question remains whether the Governor will pivot to support immediate relief at the pump or maintain his stance that the burden for lower prices rests on the federal government.
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