As the price at the pump continues to soar, state and federal lawmakers are considering whether to temporarily suspend the taxes collected on every gallon.
Republican candidates looking to unseat local Democrats in Washington and Albany held a press conference on Monday in Rochester to make the price of gas and the taxes collected on it, a campaign talking point.
Virginia McIntyre, who is running against Rep. Joe Morelle, says the government should not be profiting off the pain of the people. She called for the federal government to immediately suspend its 18-and-a-half-cent tax, “this is common sense legislation, this should not be a partisan issue,” she says.
President Trump has said he’s aiming to suspend the tax for “a period of time.”
In 2022, Rep Morelle sponsored legislation to suspend the federal gas tax but in a statement to News10NBC Investigative Reporter Jennifer Lewke on Monday he said, “families are desperate for real relief from rising costs. We need long-term solutions to lower housing costs, reduce childcare expenses, bring down grocery bills, or create stability for working families. Instead of scrambling for short-term political fixes, Donald Trump and his cronies should focus on the root causes driving up costs: their cruel, chaotic policies.”
In addition to the 18.4 cents per gallon federal tax on gas, New York tacks on about 40 cents per gallon in an excise, petroleum business and sales tax. There’s also county sales tax, which varies depending on where you live. But on average, most of us are paying about 70 cents per gallon in taxes.
Tracy Diflorio, who is running against Assembly member Harry Bronson says, “suspending the state portion of the gas tax for 90 days is a simple, common-sense step that would deliver immediate relief to our hardworking families in Monroe County.”
Governor Kathy Hochul has indicated she’s considering it.
In a statement, NYS Senator Jeremy Cooney says, “the reason gas prices have skyrocketed is because of war hawk decisions coming out of the Trump White House that are making New Yorkers suffer. I fully support any relief to the wallets of our taxpayers, including suspending the gas tax. But, to make this a truly prudent proposal, we must include a solution to continue—while suspended—the vital work this tax funds, including the repairing of our bridges and roads across the state to ensure the safety of New Yorkers.”
Monroe County has, in the past, capped the sales tax it collects on gas at $2 per gallon but the County Executive’s office tells News10NBC it was difficult to enforce because there’s no mechanism to ensure the savings are passed on to the consumer.
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