Senator Gipson Pushes Vote to Immediately End 18-a Utility Tax Surcharge

Terry Gipson

March 27, 2013

For Immediate Release: March 27, 2013
Media Contact: Brian Keeler | 845.463.0840 | keeler@nysenate.gov

SENATOR GIPSON PUSHES VOTE TO IMMEDIATELY END 18-A UTILITY TAX SURCHARGE

(Poughkeepsie, NY) -- Senator Terry Gipson today advanced legislation to immediately end the 18-A energy surcharge instead of allowing the tax to continue and be phased out over several years. The Senate Republican Majority Coalition voted to reject Senator Gipson’s proposal and maintain the tax.

“Our state’s economic recovery remains on shaky ground, and state government should not be weakening it by continuing this utility surcharge for the next several years,” Senator Gipson said. “Instead of continuing this tax, we should be fighting to ensure businesses and families have the resources they need to invest in our state economy and put New Yorkers back to work.”

If the Senate Republican Majority Coalition had not rejected Senator Gipson’s legislation, businesses, local governments, schools, non-profits and individual taxpayers would have realized immediate savings.

“We need to end the 18-A tax immediately because when businesses and individual taxpayers are able to keep more of their hard earned money, they invest in their local economies and help strengthen our communities,” Senator Gipson concluded.