Lawmakers debate massive increase to state’s gas tax

New York – Republican lawmakers from the state Assembly and Senate held A listening session about a proposal, which would drastically increase the cost of gasoline in New York.

This comes after gas prices have skyrocketed in recent months.

The Climate and Community Investment Act would increase the cost of gasoline by as much as 55 cents per gallon, by applying a new tax to it, and increase home heating costs by upwards of 25%.

According to opponents of the measure, it would be devastating to families struggling to get by across New York.

The listening session was led by Senators Tom O’Mara (R-Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R-Corning). The discussion flowed around the impact to individual residents, small businesses, and farms.

“New Yorkers already pay one of America’s highest gas taxes and home heating costs are expected to skyrocket this winter. New York’s out-of-control Democrat supermajorities enacted a state budget this year raising taxes by nearly $5 billion and they’ll just keep looking for more,” O’Mara said. “It will be an unending search for more tax dollars to afford more spending and every taxpayer will pay the price at the pump, to heat homes and in a lot of other places. The ink on the new state budget was barely dry and the Democrats were already eyeing their next tax-hike opportunities, including a potential 55 cents per gallon gas tax to help generate revenue to implement an unsustainable, impractical climate change agenda. The ongoing implementation of these regressive taxes would leave lower- and middle-income families and workers, motorists, truckers, manufacturers and industries, and seniors among the hardest hit.”

New York currently has the 7th highest gas tax in the U.S. at 43.12 cents per gallon, according to the Tax Foundation.

The legislative proposal would increase the state’s total tax on gasoline to over 98 cents.