Putnam County To Enforce Gas Tax Break

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — A new tax break to relieve the "pain at the pump" county residents are experiencing due to the spike in motor fuel prices will be enforced, County Executive MaryEllen Odell said Friday.

The county's tax break comes on top of New York State's temporary suspension of its excise and sales taxes at the pump.

The 2022 New York State budget provides a suspension of the state excise and sales taxes on motor fuel, providing a combined 16 cents per gallon savings to consumers from June 1 through Dec. 31.

To provide additional savings to Putnam residents, county lawmakers passed a law reducing the local gasoline tax for the same six months. Under the new rule, the 4 percent county gas tax will only apply to the first $2 per gallon, regardless of how high gas prices rise.

"Now that it’s summer and kids are home from college and families are driving more, we want to give residents a break,” said Putnam County Legislature Chair Neal Sullivan. “Inflation is undermining our families’ quality of life. We, in Putnam, are happy to be able to give our residents this gas sales tax holiday."

Calling the cost of gas "highway robbery," Odell said the county's consumer affairs department will canvas all gas stations and track their pricing. "We believe most gas stations will do the right thing, but we are going to take steps to ensure that every gas station does. We take price gouging seriously."

Consumers should remember that these savings only affect taxes and not the price of gas — which is likely to continue rising due to several factors including increased prices in crude oil and higher demand by consumers.

Transit advocates say those measures appease drivers and not others feeling the effects of inflation. They say they disproportionately benefit wealthier New Yorkers who drive, while cutting into funding for pothole repair and other transportation improvements.

"I am sympathetic to the fact that there are many low-income drivers across the state who rely on cars to get to work, to school or to medical appointments," said Felicia Park-Rogers, director of regional infrastructure projects for Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a nonprofit advocacy group. "But the way to solve high gas fees at the pump is not to take away the taxes that go to repairing roads and funding transit."

Patch news partner The City contributed to this report.

SEE MORE ON THIS TOPIC:

• Rockland Cap On Gas Tax Goes Into Effect
• Man Accused Of Stealing Gas From NY With Modified Fuel Tank
• Westchester OKs Temporary Cap On Gas Sales Tax
• Albany Looks To Gas Tax Holiday To Placate Drivers In What Could Be A Blow To Mass Transit