State leadership says Gov. did not issue a tax cut on gas

FRANKFORT, Ky. (June 9, 2025)— House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, and Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, issued the following joint statement regarding Governor Andy Beshear’s comments on the July 1 gas tax reduction. 

“Thursday’s comments and news release from Governor Andy Beshear regarding a July 1 gas tax reduction were a masterclass in political spin. The Governor is taking credit for a 1.4-cent-per-gallon decrease set to take effect next month—a claim so disconnected from reality it demands correction.

“This reduction is not the result of executive action but an automatic adjustment under KRS 138.220, a statute that ties Kentucky’s gas tax to the average wholesale fuel price. When market prices fall, the tax drops accordingly. It’s a formula, not a feat of Andy Beshear’s actions.

“If the Governor insists on handing out credit, he should start with the Trump administration. Its pro-energy policies have contributed to market conditions, bringing the average wholesale price of gasoline in Kentucky down from $2.49 last July to $2.13 as of April. In conjunction with Kentucky law, these conditions automatically trigger the July 1 gas tax reduction.

“The governor is no more responsible for a gas tax reduction than he is for cutting the personal income tax, adopting responsible budgets, or any other public policy enacted during his tenure. He could, however, actually accomplish something by working with us to eliminate the unnecessary and expensive reformulated gas (RFG) mandate. Almost 20 percent of our state’s population pays significantly more at the pump every single day because of this outdated policy.”