Ortt, Senate Republicans want state gas tax suspended

Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt

ALBANY – The Senate Republican Conference today wrote a letter to Governor Hochul urging her to suspend the state taxes on motor fuel and diesel. The letter is signed by State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt and 21 other senators.

Suspending the tax would provide an estimated $0.16 per gallon cost savings to New York households who are struggling with the cost of gas prices at the pump and diesel prices indirectly through increasing prices of consumer goods.

New York is facing an affordability crisis: record high energy costs, rising gas and diesel prices, the highest-in-the-nation tax burden, and an overall cost of living that is unsustainable.

The letter reads, “The last time gasoline prices in New York reached $5 per gallon, during the Biden Administration,  the State implemented a temporary fuel tax holiday that you [Governor Hochul] strongly supported. At the time you stated:

‘Fuel prices have surged in recent months, hurting working families and small businesses  the most and it is critical that we provide New Yorkers relief by suspending certain fuel  taxes for the next seven months, New York is providing $609 million in direct relief to New  Yorkers – a critical lifeline for those who need it the most.’

In 2022, the State estimated the fuel tax suspension provided a reduction of at least $0.16 per gallon statewide.”

Currently, local officials within several counties have already adopted sales tax reductions when purchasing gas including Dutchess, Onondaga, Rockland, Putnam and Ulster counties.

The last time New York passed and implemented a gas tax holiday was in 2022, under President Biden and Governor Hochul.