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Rep. Harwood Pushes For Relief From High Gas Prices Due to Katrina

Rep. Harwood pushes for relief from high gas prices due to Hurricane Katrina FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Trudy Rammon Wednesday, August 31, 2005 614) 466-3488 COLUMBUS – Rep. Sandra Harwood (D-Niles) has called for the drafting of two pieces of legislation to help ease the burden of the high price of gasoline in Ohio brought on by Hurricane Katrina. Yesterday evening, State Representative Sandra Harwood called for a resolution urging the President of the United States to release oil from our Nation’s petroleum reserves to help the refineries crippled from Hurricane Katrina and to assist the Midwest with their supply of petroleum. Today, it has been reported that the US government will tap an emergency oil reserve to compensate for shutdowns in the Gulf of Mexico due of Hurricane Katrina. A second bill, now being drafted, seeks to lower the petroleum prices in Ohio by calling for an emergency suspension of the tax on gasoline for a period of 90 days. Representative Harwood stated, “I feel this State has a responsibility to do whatever it can to provide relief for Ohio’s citizens and businesses who are currently negatively impacted and struggling with the high cost of gasoline. During this time of suspension of the state gasoline tax, I also call on the federal government to suspend federal taxes on gasoline, release petroleum reserves to refineries impacted by Hurricane Katrina and to take all steps necessary to bring the cost of fuel energy under control. My bill is intended to provide relief on a state level during which time I expect our Federal Government to take immediate action to resolve this crisis. I’m calling for bi-partisan support from my colleagues in the General Assembly for this is not a democrat or republican issue, but an issue that impacts us all.”