AFP-Mississippi staff pose for a photo outside a local Chevron station, where they helped provide discounted gas as relief from the high cost of gas in 2022.

Inflation, rising cost of gas over time mean tough choices for Mississippians

Jul 15, 2022 by AFP

Because of inflation, Mississippians have less money in their pockets than they did at this time last year.

Consumer prices soared 9.1 percent between June 2021 and June 2022. Not only are residents paying more for groceries and clothing, the cost of gas over time reflects the historic levels inflation Americans are experiencing.

Americans can expect to spend an extra $1,433 for gasoline alone due to spiking inflation. On average overall, U.S. residents will shell out an additional $5,200 to maintain the same standard of living as last year.

Mississippians specifically will need about $6,000 more just to keep up.

To provide relief, Americans for Prosperity-Mississippi dropped the price of gasoline to $2.38 for a few hours at Cox Chevron in Forest, Mississippi last month. AFP-Mississippi leadership also discussed the affordable energy solutions that could drive down the cost of gas in 2022.

Rising cost of gas over time forces Mississippians to choose between church and groceries

Two young men wait in line for discounted gas at AFP-Mississippi's True Cost event in Forest, MS on June 30. Their sign reads, "Last car in line." Like many customers, these two gentlemen were waiting for relief from the rising cost of gas in 2022.

Forest, Mississippi – June 28, 2022: Cars lined up for blocks to get discounted gas from AFP-MS to help with the high cost of gas in 2022.

Cars lined up for blocks to take advantage of the lower gas prices. “I saw it as a blessing, and I had to come jump in line,” Forest resident Latoya Roberts said.

Several of the drivers who joined AFP-Mississippi in Forest discussed how the unbearable cost of gas in 2022 has affected them.

As AFP-Mississippi State Director Starla Brown explained in a column at Y’all Politics, resident Helen Ely said getting to pay $2.38 a gallon meant she would not have to choose between going to church and eating that week:

“I can’t even go to church but once a month. I don’t have the gas to go to church and go get food too.”

That choice is not one any American should have to make.

Another resident said she is spending $400 every two weeks, or $800 a month, just to drive her son back and forth to his place of employment.

Cars lined up to get relief from the high cost of gas in 2022. AFP-Mississippi was offering discounted gas at a local Chevron station in Forest, Mississippi.

Forest, Mississippi – June 28, 2022: Cars began lining up at 8:30 a.m. to take advantage of discounted fuel and get relief from the rising cost of gas this year.

It is not just the rising cost of gas over time that is hurting Mississippians. Rising consumer prices mean they are paying more for basic necessities — and summertime luxuries like candy and ice cream.

Chevron station owner Vance Cox told WTOK-TV,

“I got notices today that my candy bars, Hershey and Mars, both went up. They went up 15 percent across the board on their candy bars, so the cost of inflation is really hurting everybody no matter what you do.”

What affordable energy solutions would bring down gas prices?

To address the rising cost of gas over time, state lawmakers in Mississippi are considering a gas tax holiday.

Americans need more than gimmicks and short-term fixes, though.

To stop the cost of gas over time from rising higher, federal lawmakers must implement affordable energy solutions like:

Expanding oil and gas production on public lands
Ensuring the Strategic Petroleum Reserve cannot be tapped as a solution for poor policy decisions
Reforming the National Environmental Policy Act to remove barriers to energy innovation, infrastructure, and environmental progress
Rejecting the Paris Climate Agreement and enact the Paris Transparency and Accountability Act, which would require the U.S. president to report to Congress before proposing new or revised actions under the Paris agreement

As Brown explained, years of reckless spending in Washington has contributed to historic levels of inflation: “We’re committed to fighting for real solutions to rein in inflation and gas prices.”