Senate GOP blast Democrats' proposed gas tax

ALBANY, NY -- Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt, along with Senators Pam Helming, Mario Mattera, Dan Stec, and members of the Senate Republican Conference today blasted the so-called climate and community investment act, a proposal being advanced by Albany Democrats that would increase the cost of gas by as much as fifty-five cents per gallon and increase home heating costs by more than twenty-five percent. 

The legislation would impose a carbon tax of $55 per ton of fossil fuel emissions in order to reach renewable energy mandates under the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, passed by the Legislature in 2019.

“New Yorkers are dealing with devastating social and economic impacts from the pandemic, our economy continues to struggle as our small businesses are forced to continue to operate under the Governor’s mandates, and the Legislature just passed a state budget with huge tax and spending increases. This out of touch bill is just the latest hit to hard working New Yorkers who will be forced to endure skyrocketing costs at the pumps and to heat their homes. It’s time to reverse the tax and spend insanity coming from Albany that continues to drive families and businesses out of our state. This is a bad bill at any time, but particularly now at a time when so many New Yorkers are already struggling,” said Leader Ortt.

“The road to renewable energy should not be paved with higher taxes. This proposal would significantly increase costs for families, seniors, farmers, businesses and virtually every New Yorker. If you use gas or diesel in your vehicle, you’ll pay more under this proposal. If you heat your home with natural gas, fuel oil or propane, you’ll pay more under this proposal. If you power your manufacturing business with heating oil or propane, you’ll pay more under this proposal. It’s time to pump the brakes on Albany’s appetite for higher taxes. I urge my Senate colleagues to reject this proposal,” said Senator Helming.

“As our residents continue to deal with the financial damage of the ongoing crisis, New York State should be doing all it can to ease the burden they face.  Instead, this legislation will increase the cost for our residents to get to work, drive their kids to school, heat their homes, and shop for their households. Long Islanders have to unite to say to Senate Democrats that we will no longer be their ATM and enough is enough,” said Senator Mattera. 

“Imagine being someone who can’t afford to heat your home learning that lawmakers in Albany are hard at work wanting to make it even more expensive. Legislation that may be called aspirational by some means something entirely different to the person or family who suffers through the winter. This isn’t progressive, it is regressive because it would hurt lower-income New Yorkers the most,” said Senator Stec. 

“New Yorkers and our small business community are already paying exorbitant taxes that are making it a challenge to stay in New York.  This proposal will now make it more difficult to not only heat our homes and get to work and school, but to enjoy all that our State  has to offer—from camping and putting our boats in the water, to mowing the lawn and barbecuing.  After a State Budget that just increased taxes in New York by billions of dollars, I am proud to stand with my colleagues in strong opposition to this new tax proposal,” said Senator Alexis Weik. 

According to the Tax Foundation, New York currently has the 7th highest gas tax in the country, at 43.12 centers per gallon with  California currently the highest at 62.47 cents per gallon. This legislation would raise New York’s tax to 98.12 cents per gallon, an increase of more than 127 percent, and would make New York’s gas tax more than 57 percent higher than any other state. New York State has repeatedly been named as one of the worst business tax climates in the nation by the Tax Foundation. 

###