SOUTH BEND, Ind. (March 23rd, 2026) South Bend Common Council members Dr. Oliver Davis and Sherry Bolden-Simpson have sent a letter to Indiana Gov. Mike Braun urging a temporary suspension of the state gasoline tax, citing rising fuel costs and financial strain on residents.
“We are writing to you as concerned Hoosier residents and as South Bend Common Council members who serve in South Bend, Indiana, to respectfully urge you to temporarily suspend the state’s gasoline tax,” the council members wrote in the letter.
They added that “the current tax burden at the pump is making it difficult for many working families here in the South Bend, Indiana area to afford the daily commute to work and to transport their families.”
The letter states that total state and federal taxes on gasoline have exceeded 70 cents per gallon in early 2026, with Indiana’s gasoline excise tax at 36 cents per gallon. It also cites local fuel prices in South Bend averaging about $3.80 per gallon for regular gasoline as of March 23rd, 2026, with some stations exceeding $4.19 per gallon.
“We are encouraged that you have indicated you are not ruling out suspending the gas tax if prices continue to rise,” the letter states. “Given that other surrounding states are exploring ways to provide relief, we ask that you take action to pause Indiana’s state gas tax until fuel prices stabilize.”
The correspondence was filed with the South Bend City Clerk’s Office on March 23rd, 2026 and is being sent to the governor by mail, according to a communication from the council members.
Redress Wire
Redress Wire is the news service of Redress South Bend, focused on document-based reporting, public records, public meetings, legal filings, and official statements in South Bend and St. Joseph County, Indiana. Wire briefs are prepared from primary source materials and government records.
