AFP-Mississippi Kicks Off Summer Driving Season by Urging Congress to Hit the Brakes on a Federal Gas Tax Increase

May 23, 2019 by AFP

Grassroots group welcomes summer driving season with tax-free gas event

JACKSON, Miss. – Americans for Prosperity-Mississippi (AFP-MS) is hosting a Fill Up Tax-Free event in Ridgeland on Friday, May 24 to urge Senator Roger Wicker to oppose a gas tax increase. The event will be held at the Chevron – Olde Town Station, 403 W Jackson St., Ridgeland, MS 39157 on Friday and begins at 8 AM. Drivers will fill up tax-free on a first come, first serve basis.

The group is also sending out mail and running digital advertisements to urge Sen. Wicker to oppose a federal gas tax increase and instead focus on comprehensive reforms to prioritize roads and bridges and streamline regulation and permitting processes.

AFP-MS State Director Trey Dellinger issued the following statement:

“Increasing the gas tax will only perpetuate Washington’s wasteful tax and spend habits and strain family budgets. And, until the federal government figures out how to be more effective with the money it already gets, it would be disingenuous to ask taxpayers for more. Instead, they should direct funds towards critical projects and reduce red-tape that artificially inflates costs.”

The campaign comes as the White House and congressional leaders discuss funding mechanisms for a proposed $2 trillion infrastructure package and as American families hit the road for the unofficial start of summer.

Beginning Friday and running through the Memorial Day congressional recess, AFP will engage in a digital and direct mail effort combined with on-the-ground events hosted by AFP grassroots state chapters at local gas stations where a limited number of drivers will be treated to tax-free gas on a first come, first serve basis. The events will connect gas-buyers with the reality that nearly 30 cents of every federal gas tax dollars are wasted on pet projects that have nothing to do with building roads and bridges.

The direct mail and digital effort targets lawmakers across the ideological spectrum who sit on key committees, urging them to oppose any effort to hike the federal gas tax without first fixing the current system.

The ad campaign targets House Ways and Means Committee Members Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR),Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV), Rep. Darin La Hood (R-IL), Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS), and Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Members Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX), Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS), Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-IA), Rep. Harley Rouda (D-CA), Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL), Rep. John Katko (R-NY), and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY), and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Member Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS).