O’Mara calls for continuation of gas tax suspension

Elmira, N.Y., January 4—State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) today called on Governor Kathy Hochul and the Democrat leaders of the Senate and Assembly to immediately resume the suspension of New York’s sales tax on gasoline.

O'Mara said, "Now is the worst time for Governor Hochul and Albany's Democrat legislative majorities to reimpose the full force of one of America's highest gas taxes. Families and all New Yorkers are already struggling to make ends meet and ending the commonsense suspension of New York's gas tax only makes their burden heavier.

“Albany Democrats rushed back to Albany late last month to vote themselves a massive $32,000 pay raise, on top of the $20,000 raise they enacted just four years ago. Instead of coming to the aid of families and workers struggling with inflation, focusing on making this state more affordable for everyday citizens, or providing much-needed opportunities for all New Yorkers to advance themselves, Albany Democrats made themselves the highest-paid state legislators in the nation! It was wrong, it was out of touch, and I strongly opposed and voted against it.

“One of the first orders of legislative business in this New Year should be to continue the gas tax suspension. In fact, we should eliminate this tax, and many others, going forward and I will continue working with my Senate Republican colleagues to move in that direction.”

Last June, the state implemented a suspension of the state sales tax charged per gallon of gas and diesel that resulted in a reduction for motorists of at least $0.16 per gallon statewide.

The suspension ended on December 31, 2022.

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average price of a gallon of gas in New York State is almost 20 cents above the national average.