WPRO News

Gas prices rose to near record high levels in the wake of the uncertainty in the global oil markets over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while political leaders pondered a range of options to ease the pain at the pump.

Rhode Island saw its highest price ever recorded by AAA, with the price of a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline soaring 58 cents from last week to an average, $4.17 per gallon. Nationally, the price rose to $4.065 per gallon, up 45 cents in a week, 62 cents more than a month ago and $1.30 more than a year ago.

“It’s a world market,” said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “The quicker we can get off oil and gas and onto vehicles that are not powered by cartels overseas then the better off we’ll be.”

“Long run, we’ve got to get off the oil and gas treadmill,” the Rhode Island Democrat said. “In the short run, we’ve got to stabilize the market, and we also have to put a windfall profits tax on the oil companies, because they’re making a fortune now off the backs of Rhode Islanders because of prices that are driven up by international events.”

Governor Dan McKee was asked about lowering or suspending the state’s tax on gasoline, and said that the state is already proposing a number of tax saving measures in the budget he submitted last month to the General Assembly.

“Tax relief is on the table, but we’re going to see where we are in terms of the actual revenue that’s coming in,” McKee said.