Scott Jensen says he’d cut gas prices in Minnesota but it’s easier said than done

(FOX 9) – Document-setting fuel costs have despatched Minnesota politicians scrambling for one thing they will do to deal with voters’ issues about inflation forward of this fall’s midterm elections. 

Costs within the Twin Cities surged to a document $4.59 per gallon on Monday. Regionally, the associated fee for a gallon of standard fuel is up $1.61, or 62% from this time a 12 months in the past, AAA knowledge signifies. Drawback is, politicians cannot do a lot about fuel costs which are largely set by worldwide market forces, and the few levers they will pull have political problems. 

In his race in opposition to DFL Gov. Tim Walz, Republican candidate Dr. Scott Jensen is proposing to repeal Minnesota’s minimal markup regulation and droop the state’s fuel tax, strikes he says would carry down the price of fuel by 50 cents per gallon.

“If we take away the statute that fixes costs, it could save 20 cents,” Jensen, a household doctor from Chaska, says in a brand new marketing campaign video. “If we take away the Minnesota portion of the fuel tax, that’s one other 30 cents.”

Minimal markup regulation 

At present costs, Minnesota regulation requires retailers to promote fuel for eight cents greater than they purchased it.

That regulation took impact in 2001, following an intense lobbying battle detailed by the Wall Avenue Journal. Walmart had not too long ago entered the fuel station market and was promoting gas at a loss to draw prospects to its shops.

Minnesota lawmakers, aiming to guard mother and pop retailers, responded by imposing a regulation banning below-cost gross sales.

20 years later, efforts to repeal the regulation would seemingly draw a cold reception from trade teams.

Lance Klatt, government director of the Minnesota Service Stations and Comfort Shops Affiliation, mentioned his group would oppose repeal efforts. Klatt pointed to a research from researchers on the College of Wisconsin-Whitewater that confirmed drivers paid extra for fuel in states the place there have been no legal guidelines banning below-cost gross sales.

The Minnesota Petroleum Entrepreneurs Affiliation has not had an opportunity to speak with Jensen concerning the problem, mentioned the group’s government director, Tim Gross, who declined remark till a gathering may occur.

In response to a query from FOX 9, a Walz spokesman didn’t say the governor’s place on the markup regulation. As an alternative, Walz’s marketing campaign criticized Jensen for opposing an $8 billion bundle of tax cuts and new spending that didn’t move through the Legislature’s common session.

“Gov. Walz has been pushing for a bipartisan deal that would supply monetary aid for Minnesotans going through rising costs,” Walz marketing campaign supervisor Nichole Johnson mentioned in an electronic mail. “If Scott Jensen cared extra about serving to working households than he did about politics, he would not be asking Senate Republicans to kill that deal.”

Jensen has mentioned he would’ve preferred lawmakers to move the tax cuts, which totaled half of the $8 billion, together with sure spending measures, similar to for police and assisted-living services.

Gasoline tax vacation

Jensen is not the primary to suggest a suspension of Minnesota’s 28.5 cent per gallon fuel tax.

Earlier this 12 months, 5 Democratic members of the Minnesota Home proposed a fuel tax vacation operating from Memorial Day to Labor Day. On the time, Jensen’s fellow Republicans blasted the concept as an “election 12 months gimmick.”

The proposal by no means handed the Home or Senate, that means Minnesota didn’t be a part of 5 different states which have suspended their fuel taxes.

Walz has referred to as on Congress to droop the federal 18.4 cent per gallon fuel tax and mentioned he would’ve signed a state fuel tax vacation into regulation. However this session, the governor favored his personal proposal for rebate checks of $500 per grownup as the perfect use of the state’s multi-billion greenback funds surplus.

“It is fairly a couple of fill-ups you would get for $1,000 (per grownup couple),” Walz instructed reporters throughout a information convention at a fuel station in March. 

On the time, Walz raised issues concerning the budgetary impression of a fuel tax vacation. It could price $70 million per 30 days to the state’s road-building fund, he mentioned.

Jensen mentioned he would backfill the loss by shifting all income collected from the state’s tax on auto components to highway development. In flip, that will trigger a spot in different state applications. By state regulation, 50 p.c of the auto components gross sales tax income at present goes to roads and the opposite half to the final fund.

How a lot financial savings?

In sum, Jensen says the distinction between his proposal and Walz is 75 cents per gallon. Jensen says his plan would save a Minnesota family “roughly $1,000.” 

These figures depend on a number of assumptions, as illustrated beneath for a driver who makes use of 15 gallons of fuel per week.

If Minnesota’s fuel tax have been suspended, that driver would save about $230 per 12 months, or $460 per couple.  

If the Legislature repealed the state’s minimal markup regulation, there’s disagreement over the impression to shoppers. If fuel stations uniformly lowered their costs by 8 cents, the identical driver would save $60 per 12 months, or $120 per couple.

Jensen’s determine provides a 3rd variable: Walz’s 2019 proposal to extend the state’s fuel tax by 20 cents per gallon. Doing so would’ve added $156 per driver, or $312 per couple.

When reporters requested Walz earlier this 12 months concerning the political penalties of that 2019 plan, the governor mentioned he proposed it when fuel costs have been lower than $2 per gallon and there was no hope of a lift in federal infrastructure spending just like the regulation Congress in the end handed in 2021.