With the average price of a gallon of gasoline already over $4.00 and predicted to skyrocket to $6.00 this summer, Senator Greg Ball (R,C-Patterson) and Assemblyman Jim Tedisco (R,C,I-Schenectady-Saratoga) today called for short term and long term solutions to provide motorists with relief at the pump and help kick our nation’s addiction to fossil fuels.
Ball and Tedisco are introducing legislation (see attached PDF) to suspend the three separate state taxes on fuel – the 8-cent excise tax, the 8-cent sales tax and the 17-cent Petroleum Business Tax – during the busy four-day Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day holiday weekends, providing consumers an immediate savings of 33-cents per gallon of gasoline – about $5 a fill-up.
At an average of $4.07 a gallon, New York ranks sixth in the nation and second to Connecticut in the Northeast for highest gas prices.
"While those nations that hate us are getting rich at our expense, our blue collar families and small business owners are being mugged. Governments should not smile and watch their government coffers grow as taxpayer misery skyrockets with ever increasing gas prices. Lets help people to enjoy their time off with their families, while giving our local economy a boost." Stated Senator Greg Ball.
“Families and businesses are experiencing real pain at the pump that’s pinching their already over-stressed budgets. While we need to invest in clean and green alternative energy sources to solve our nation’s long-term energy needs, we can provide some relief now by suspending the state sales taxes during the three summer holiday weekends,” said Tedisco, former Minority Leader and current Assistant Minority Whip.
Senator Ball is introducing legislation which will strengthen the penalties against companies which engage in the practice of zone pricing. Ball is concerned that previous legislation passed by the New York State Legislature in 2008, was not enough to effectively put a stop to the practice of corporations charging gas station owners more for in geographically affluent areas.
Senator Ball voiced his concern for the effect this continued unfair practice has on his constituents, “Loop Holes in previous pieces of legislation have allowed for the unfair practice of zone pricing for gasoline to continue. In some parts of my district the disparity in gas prices from town to town is over 30 cents a gallon. Rules against zone pricing need to be made stricter, and penalties need to be levied upon corporations who continue this practice”
