North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson has received 259 complaints about gas stations that may not be passing along savings from the state's 41-cent fuel tax suspension.
Jackson launched an online reporting tool called NC Fuel Check on Tuesday, Oct. 13, allowing drivers to flag stations they suspect are keeping the savings. By 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16, state officials told WBTV they had logged 259 reports. The tool covers every gas station in the state, including those along Providence Road, NC 16 and other corridors in the Waxhaw area.
Gov. Josh Stein signed the tax suspension into law on Oct. 9. It took effect Oct. 10 and runs through Nov. 30, according to the attorney general's office. The suspension eliminates the state's 41-cent-per-gallon motor fuel tax, a measure lawmakers approved to ease high fuel costs.
The law directs fuel companies to pass the savings to consumers, but it does not require gas stations to lower prices immediately. Jackson's office said it will investigate potential violations of the state's unfair and deceptive trade practices laws. Stations found in violation could face civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, according to WRAL.
"I assure you, whatever you think you stand to make by breaking the law and capturing a little windfall for yourself, is nothing compared to what you stand to lose if we catch you," Jackson said in a video on social media, according to WBTV.
Jackson said his office will compare prices before and after the suspension and among nearby stations to identify potential violations, WRAL reported. He also sent letters to gas retailers and distributors reminding them to comply.
Gas prices have started to drop in the Charlotte region. WBTV reported the average cost of a tank of gas in Charlotte fell about 50 cents in the week after the suspension took effect. AAA listed North Carolina's statewide average at $3.70 per gallon as of Thursday, Oct. 15, the lowest statewide average in the country and well below the national average of $4.33.
The attorney general's office noted that some stations may still be selling fuel purchased before the suspension, when the tax was still included in wholesale prices. Jackson said most stations should receive new, tax-free shipments within about a week of the suspension's start.
Drivers who want to file a complaint can visit the NC Fuel Check page at ncdoj.gov. The form asks for the station's name and address, the date and time of the visit, the price per gallon, the fuel grade, a photo of the price sign and receipt, and prices at nearby stations.
The gas tax suspension is expected to cost the N.C. Department of Transportation $360 million in revenue. Lawmakers transferred that amount from the state's Stabilization and Inflation Reserve fund to cover the gap, WRAL reported.
