O’Mara continues opposition to proposed new gas tax

Elmira, N.Y., October 21— State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) continues to join other members of the Senate Republican Conference to voice opposition to legislation under consideration by the state Legislature’s Democrat majorities that could raise New York's gas tax by 55 cents and increase home heating costs by upwards of 25%.

“The ongoing implementation of these regressive taxes would leave lower- and middle-income families and workers, motorists, truckers, manufacturers and other industries, and seniors among the hardest hit,” said O'Mara.   "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 last year and the Legislature's Democrat majorities were already eyeing their next tax-hike opportunities, including a potential fifty-five-cents-per-gallon gas tax to help generate revenue to implement an unsustainable, impractical climate change agenda."

The legislation (S4264/A6967), known as the “Climate and Community Investment Act,” calls for accelerated state-level actions to achieve broad and far-reaching climate change policies. It includes a new 55-cents-per-gallon gas tax and increased taxes on heating oil, propane, and natural gas, which is estimated to increase home heating fuel costs by 26%.

New Yorkers already pay the ninth-highest gas tax in America at 46.19-cents-per-gallon, according to the Tax Foundation.  If the proposed gas tax of 55 cents were added, New York would have the highest overall gas tax in America.

New York’s business tax climate has long been noted by the Tax Foundation as one of the nation’s worst. 

[Constituents can share their opinions on the legislation by e-mailing Senator O'Mara at omara@nysenate.gov]