⛽💸 Michigan Gas Tax Holiday Fight: What a 70-Cent Break Would Mean at Jackson Pumps

QUICK ANSWER

FACT: On Monday, Sept. 29, 2026, Congressman John James called for suspending Michigan's 52.4-cent-per-gallon state fuel tax AND the 18-cent federal fuel tax.

FACT: Michigan's average gas price is $4.55 a gallon — the 11th highest average among states, per GasBuddy, cited by The Midwesterner.

FACT: Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, the Democratic nominee for governor, opposes suspending the state tax, saying it would "blow a hole in our budget, force us to forgo necessary road repairs, and hurt Michigan families."

FACT: Even Benson's running mate, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, told reporters Monday she supports suspending the state fuel tax — she would "certainly like to keep that door open."

COMMENTARY: The math below is arithmetic, not advocacy: 52.4 + 18 = 70.4 cents a gallon of potential relief, if — and only if — pump prices fell by the full amount.

THE CALL

In a video posted to X on Monday, Sept. 29, Congressman John James laid it out: "Michigan has some of the highest gas prices in the country and Michigan families are getting crushed at the pump. Enough is enough."

His ask is twofold: he is "calling on Michigan Democrats to stop playing political games with your money and declare a state of emergency to suspend the state gas tax" — and he wants the federal government's 18-cent tax paused too.

On X, James added a punchline aimed at the state: "Michigan's gas tax is triple the federal gas tax." (FACT: the arithmetic checks out roughly — 52.4 cents is about 2.9 times 18 cents. His framing, his words.)

"Right now, today, they have the power to suspend the state gas tax and they're choosing not to," James said in the video. "You know why? Because your pain is their plan. They just want the issue to campaign on." That's his characterization — keep it as his quote, not as fact.

THE NO

Benson's answer, issued in mid-September via Michigan Advance and resurfaced as the fight heated up: "Suspending the state gas tax would only blow a hole in our budget, force us to forgo necessary road repairs, and hurt Michigan families. It's a risk we cannot take — and one we should not have to, as Michigan did not start this war, Donald Trump did."

Her press secretary, Rajan Srinivasan, said Benson instead prefers "conversations in the legislature to lower costs for Michigan families."

FACT: The Midwesterner notes that Benson is overseeing her own election for governor as the Democratic nominee. That detail is in the source; whether it creates a conflict is commentary, and it stays labeled as such.

THE SPLIT — ON HER OWN TICKET

Here's where it gets interesting. Benson's running mate, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids), told reporters in Grand Rapids on Monday that she supports suspending the state fuel tax and would "certainly like to keep that door open."

"We all certainly hoped that this war would come to a much more swift end than it has and as the pressure mounts on people's pocketbooks and the price continues to rise, I think that's something that could potentially be considered at the state level as well," Brinks said.

She added that lawmakers "return this week to Lansing" and "we'll have some conversations with legislators about how they would like to approach this."

COMMENTARY: The nominee says the holiday would hurt Michigan families. Her running mate says she's open to it. That's not a policy dispute to resolve from here — it's a split worth watching, because it tells you the politics are unsettled inside the Democratic ticket, not just between the parties.

JACKSON PUMP MATH (COMMENTARY — arithmetic, not a prediction)

The state average is $4.55. Strip out both taxes in full:

- 52.4¢ state + 18¢ federal = 70.4¢ a gallon

- $4.55 − $0.704 = about $3.85 a gallon

- On a 15-gallon fill-up: about $10.56 back in your pocket

- Two fill-ups a month: about $21 a month

COMMENTARY: These numbers assume every cent of the tax cut reaches the pump. That is the open question of this whole fight — see below. Also note: Governor Whitmer's argument back in March used a smaller number — about $7.86 back per tank — from an earlier, state-only proposal.

THE ROAD MONEY PROBLEM

FACT: Suspending the state fuel tax for three months would cost Michigan about $600 million, per the House Fiscal Agency.

FACT: House Democrats pushed last week for exactly that three-month suspension — and proposed backfilling the lost money from the state's Budget Stabilization Fund, which holds a $2.2 billion balance.

FACT: The Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association says fuel-tax revenue is roughly a third of Michigan's road funding, and losing it could delay 2027 road projects.

FACT: MITA VP of government affairs Lance Binoniemi told The Detroit News: "Our volatile gas prices are not because of our gas tax." He said the group is open to replacement-revenue talks, "but, again, we think it sets a bad precedent."

FACT: A 24% marijuana wholesale tax meant to help fund road repairs is generating much less than lawmakers anticipated, per The Midwesterner — so the road budget has less cushion than planned.

COULD IT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

FACT: House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) told The Detroit News on Tuesday he's willing to hold a vote on suspending the state fuel tax — but argued Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is unlikely to approve it.

FACT: This isn't the first round. Whitmer vetoed Republican legislation in 2022 to suspend the then-27-cent-per-gallon tax when prices spiked after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In March 2026 she rejected the idea again, saying roughly $7.86 back per tank is "something we can't deliver" and suggesting residents rely on their tax returns.

FACT: State Sen. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores) introduced legislation last week to pursue a fuel tax holiday.

COMMENTARY: Count the moving pieces: a Republican challenger demanding it, a Democratic House caucus pushing a three-month version with a backfill plan, the Democratic nominee's own running mate open to it, a House speaker willing to hold a vote, a governor likely to veto, and $600 million hanging over all of it. The question isn't who wants a cheaper gallon — everyone claims to. The question is who pays for it, and whether the savings reach the pump.

OPEN QUESTIONS

These are questions, not conclusions:

- Would pump prices actually fall 70 cents? A tax suspension cuts what stations owe — but whether they pass every cent through to drivers, and how fast, is not established. Station margins, wholesale contracts, and timing all eat into it. The source articles assert the relief; none demonstrate it.

- What's the "war"? Benson blames Trump for "this war" — "Michigan did not start this war, Donald Trump did." The source does not specify what she means beyond the budget fight over gas prices. It stays her quote, not our explanation.

- Who fills the $600 million hole? House Democrats point to the $2.2 billion stabilization fund. MITA worries about precedent and 2027 project delays. Benson says road repairs would be forgone. Three answers, one budget.

- Emergency declaration vs. legislation? James asked Michigan Democrats to "declare a state of emergency to suspend the state gas tax" — a different path from Hertel's bill or a House vote. Which mechanism, and who controls it, is not settled.

- Does the secretary of state overseeing her own governor's race matter here? The source raises the fact of Benson's dual role. Whether it shapes the fight is commentary, not fact.

FAQS

What is a gas tax holiday?

A temporary suspension of fuel taxes — here, Michigan's 52.4-cent-per-gallon state tax and the 18-cent federal tax — so drivers pay less at the pump during the suspension.

How much would a Jackson driver save?

If both taxes were fully suspended and fully passed through: about 70 cents a gallon — roughly $10.56 on a 15-gallon fill-up, about $21 a month for two fill-ups.

Would prices actually drop by 70 cents?

Not guaranteed. Suspending the tax cuts what stations and distributors owe; whether that reaches your receipt in full, and how fast, depends on margins and timing. None of the sources demonstrate full pass-through.

Why does Benson oppose it?

Her stated reasons: it would "blow a hole in our budget, force us to forgo necessary road repairs, and hurt Michigan families" — and she says the federal government should suspend its tax instead, since Trump "started this disaster."

Who supports suspending the tax?

John James; Winnie Brinks (Benson's running mate, open to it); House Democrats pushing a three-month version; State Sen. Kevin Hertel's legislation; House Speaker Matt Hall says he'll hold a vote.

Who opposes?

Benson; Governor Whitmer (vetoed a 2022 attempt, rejected a 2026 proposal); MITA, which calls it a bad precedent for road funding.

What happened in 2022?

Republicans passed legislation to suspend the then-27-cent tax after Russia invaded Ukraine; Whitmer vetoed it.

Where does the fuel-tax money go?

Road repairs — roughly a third of Michigan's road funding, per MITA. A three-month suspension costs about $600 million, per the House Fiscal Agency.

SOURCES

- The Midwesterner (Sept. 30, 2026): https://www.themidwesterner.news/2026/09/jocelyn-benson-claims-proposed-state-gas-tax-holiday-will-hurt-michigan-families/

- Michigan Advance (original Benson quotes, via The Midwesterner)

- The Detroit News (Speaker Hall interview, MITA quotes, via The Midwesterner)

- GasBuddy (state gas price averages, via The Midwesterner)

Last updated: October 1, 2026.