Gas Tax: At Least They’re Doing Something

It’s not the 98¢ you save at the pump, it’s the taking action that matters.

Thank you to South Bend Common Council representatives Dr. Oliver Davis and Sherry Bolden-Simpson for taking the initiative to lobby Indiana Governor Mike Braun to put the Indiana gas tax on holiday for 30 days. Thank you to Governor Braun for hearing pleas from South Bend and elsewhere around the state and taking action.

While the average driver will only save about 98¢ per tank on gasoline with this brief tax hiatus, this largely symbolic gesture shows that people are hurting and that members of their government recognize their pain. Knowing that the Governor and two of the Common Council members understand that everyday people are more and more financially squeezed is the first time that many residents have felt heard at all in recent months, as the costs of goods increase through rising tariff rates, fuel costs, and the costs of automation. 

This 30-day cessation of gas tax collection in no way guarantees that Exxon, Shell, BP (American), and others will not raise their prices further, hoping consumers don’t notice or catch that their government tried to help. That said, no matter what profit-driven motives shift the economy, this governmental gesture shows that some elected officials are paying attention. It is one of those moments I hope we all can consider when we next head to our polling places, what officials showed that they represented all of the people and not just ‘likely voters’ or high-dollar donors. 

In many ways, not collecting the gas tax for 30 days hurts us, as the gas tax is utilized to help repair and maintain roads. So, not collecting the tax kicks today’s problems of high gas prices literally to the curb, as we’ll have to pay for road maintenance at some other time and in some other manner. That said, for today, I’m just happy that these politicians from both sides of the aisle see those they represent and are doing what they can to take some action. 


Please see the letter South Bend Common Council representatives Dr. Oliver Davis and Sherry Bolden-Simpson sent to Gov. Braun:

Related: See Shell’s Games at the Pumps – Crude Deceptions by Brian S Collier

© 2026 Brian S Collier. All opinions are those of the author. The author reserves all Rights and copyrights. To request permission to reprint any or all of this article, contact info@redresssouthbend.com. 

Reprinted with permission of the author by Redress South Bend.

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Brian S. Collier, Ph.D.

Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Collier is a graduate of South Bend public schools. Collier taught high school for four years before earning a Ph.D., then taught college in Arizona, Michigan, and Indiana. He is now again teaching high school locally.

Collier signed on to serve on the editorial board and as an occasional contributor to Redress, hoping to help provide a liberal perspective on issues in his hometown and the region. While local 'liberals' may not feel heard, Collier feels like both parties are so far from where they were when he was a child that they wouldn't possibly recognize their modern iterations.

Collier feels strongly that South Bend lacks actual leadership, shows cowardice, and prioritizes conveniences and business interests over citizen needs, and is a proxy for petty vendettas and a lack of real, sustainable policy. Collier fears for the future of St. Joseph County, Michiana, and America, and the very real chance that the American experiment ends during his lifetime due to partisan nonsense and the public's inability to even see other perspectives.