HOUSTON \u2013 As gas prices continue to fluctuate, a new proposal from Texas leaders could offer drivers some relief at the pump, at least temporarily.<\/p>\n
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is calling on Governor Greg Abbott to suspend the state\u2019s gas tax, a move he says could help Texans struggling with rising fuel costs.<\/p>\n
The proposal comes as other states, including Georgia and Indiana, have already taken similar steps during periods of high gas prices. <\/p>\n
Texas currently charges a state gas tax of 20 cents per gallon. Most of the gas tax money is used to build and maintain roads. After costs are taken out, roughly three-quarters go to transportation projects, and the rest helps fund schools.<\/p>\n
Houston Gas Prices<\/p>\n
About $3.74 per gallon for regular gas <\/p>\n
Texas (statewide average)<\/p>\n
Roughly $3.70\u2013$3.80 per gallon (varies by day and region) <\/p>\n
U.S. average <\/p>\n
About $4.11 per gallon nationwide <\/p>\n
Houston is sitting just under the national average <\/p>\n
Texas remains cheaper than most states, but is still elevated compared to past years. <\/p>\n
Prices are volatile, shifting week-to-week based on oil markets and global factors. <\/p>\n
If that tax were paused, the savings for drivers would be noticeable \u2014 but modest:<\/p>\n
15-gallon tank: about $3 in savings per fill-up <\/p>\n
20-gallon tank: about $4 in savings per fill-up <\/p>\n
For drivers who fill up weekly, that could add up over time:<\/p>\n
Compact car (weekly fill-up): roughly $12\/month in savings <\/p>\n
SUV or truck (larger tank): up to $16\/month <\/p>\n
Households with multiple vehicles: potentially $25\u2013$40\/month combined <\/p>\n
While not a massive cut, for many families already stretched thin, every dollar matters.<\/p>\n
Why now?<\/p>\n
The push comes amid ongoing global instability and market volatility that continues to impact fuel prices.<\/p>\n
For many Texans, especially in cities like Houston, where driving is essential, gas prices are a daily concern tied directly to the cost of living.<\/p>\n
From groceries to rent, rising expenses are hitting household budgets, and fuel costs are a major part of that strain.<\/p>\n
Would drivers see the savings immediately?<\/p>\n
That\u2019s still an open question.<\/p>\n
Experts say that while suspending the gas tax lowers the base price, it doesn\u2019t guarantee gas stations will pass along the full savings to consumers.<\/p>\n
There are also concerns that:<\/p>\n
Increased demand could push prices back up <\/p>\n
Oil market fluctuations could offset any tax relief <\/p>\n
Savings may vary depending on location and competition between stations <\/p>\n
Still, in states that have tried similar pauses, drivers generally saw at least some level of price drop.<\/p>\n
Where does the gas tax money go?<\/p>\n
The proposal also raises questions about how Texas would make up for lost revenue.<\/p>\n
Currently, gas tax funds are a major source of money for the state:<\/p>\n
About 75% goes toward road construction and maintenance <\/p>\n
The remaining portion helps fund public education <\/p>\n
Pausing the tax, even temporarily, could impact infrastructure projects unless lawmakers shift funding from elsewhere.<\/p>\n
Would the governor support it?<\/p>\n
So far, it\u2019s unclear whether Governor Abbott will take action on the proposal.<\/p>\n
Any suspension would likely require coordination at the state level and could involve legislative input.<\/p>\n
KPRC2\u2019s Re\u2019Chelle Turner has reached out to the Governor\u2019s office for comment.<\/p>\n
The bottom line. <\/p>\n
A pause on Texas\u2019 gas tax could offer short-term relief, especially for commuters and families juggling multiple vehicles.<\/p>\n
But the actual impact on your wallet may depend on market conditions and whether savings are fully passed down at the pump.<\/p>\n
For now, it remains a proposal, but one that\u2019s gaining attention as Texans look for relief anywhere they can find it.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HOUSTON \u2013 As gas prices continue to fluctuate, a new proposal from Texas leaders could offer drivers some…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":268434,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[150,152,151,1544,2349],"class_list":{"0":"post-268433","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arlington","8":"tag-arlington","9":"tag-arlington-headlines","10":"tag-arlington-news","11":"tag-gas-prices","12":"tag-money"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268433","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=268433"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/268433\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/268434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=268433"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=268433"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=268433"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}