The following is a press release issued by Senator Sprouse today.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Hurricane Katrina is a devastating natural disaster that not only affects the people of Louisiana, it hits the people right here in West Virginia at the gas pump.

Where $2.50 used to be the average, prices exceeding $3.20 have been seen all across the state with no end in sight.

My constituents are calling me, begging for relief. Many of them are struggling. Once they used to go on family trips during the weekend, now they stay home. One mother told me she used to drive her daughter to school, but now she can’t afford to and her daughter has to take the bus. The high gas prices affects all of us, but it hits the working poor the hardest.

I am calling for the Governor to temporarily remove all state gas taxes for 15 days until the gas prices start lowering again. An immediate cut would save working West Virginians $0.27 cents per gallon, effectively putting the gas prices back in the $2.00 range.

Now is the Governor’s time to stand up for all West Virginians and give them some temporary relief during this crisis.

Labor Day is soon upon us. Friends and family will now have to decide whether they can join together and celebrate this special holiday. If the Governor does not give West Virginians emergency relief, many will sadly stay home.