By Arizona Capitol Times
Key Points:
- State leaders debate whether the governor or Legislature can lower gas prices
- Gov. Katie Hobbs open to temporary suspension of state gas tax
- One Republican says Arizona is “a victim of our geography”
The perennial quest to lower gas prices in Arizona is sparking debate at the Legislature and in the governor’s race as pain at the pump impacts consumers nationwide.
Gas prices in Arizona fluctuate at the whims of a dizzying array of factors. Everything from state and federal regulations governed by the Clean Air Act to reliance on out-of-state fuel suppliers and unforeseen supply shortages caused by severe weather or conflict in the Middle East can raise costs.
And while some Republican lawmakers have introduced bills this session aiming to clawback some of those regulations, one is arguing there’s nothing he or his colleagues at the Legislature can do to make fuel cheaper.
Just the same, the debate has spilled over into Arizona’s upcoming gubernatorial race, with Gov. Katie Hobbs and her potential Republican challenger Congressman Andy Biggs sparring over the state’s role in controlling gas prices.
