James Tedisco lobbies for summer gas tax holiday
May 12, 2008
In celebration of Mother’s Day, Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco, R-Schenectady, announced the launch of a statewide grassroots petition drive to strengthen support for legislation that would allow motorists a “summertime holiday” from the ever increasing prices.“There is no question about it, record-high gas prices are truly hurting motorists, small businesses and our economy. A summer gas tax holiday, I just can’t think of a better gift on Mother’s Day,” Tedisco said Sunday afternoon while speaking to members of the media outside a local gas station.
Tedisco called upon Assembly Democrats to join with the Assembly GOP to pass the legislation that would suspend the three separate states taxes on fuel — the 8-cent motor fuel tax, the 8-cent sales tax and the
16-cent Petroleum Business tax — from Memorial Day until Labor Day. The suspension would provide a savings of nearly 33 cents per gallon gasoline and 31 cents per gallon of diesel fuel.
“The Republican Senate Majority has already passed legislation that institutes a summer holiday from gas taxes,” Tedisco said. “Now it is time for the Assembly Democrat majority to stop delaying and follow suit.”
Petitions will be distributed in grocery stores and gas stations throughout the state and printable versions will also be available on the internet. To be effective, Tedisco hopes to retrieve between 150,000 and 200,000 signatures from residents across New York state.
“Our Assembly Republican Conference believes that now is the time to give motorists some of the relief they have been asking for. The quickest way to do that is by enacting a summertime break from the three separate state taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel,” Tedisco said, adding that the reduction would save motorists approximately 30 cents per gallon each time they pumped gas.
Tedisco cited New York state as having some of the highest taxes in that nation, and when compared to surrounding states, New York taxes still rise above the rest.
“A big reason why gas is so expensive in New York is because of the three separate state taxes. Other neighboring states do not have gas taxes as high as ours, and it shows in the fact that motorists in those states pay less for a gallon of gas,” said Tedisco.
Tedisco said that he would support investigations at the federal level as to why surrounding states have lower taxes and hopefully get some answers.
“Why is New York state the gouge state of America?” Tedisco asked.
Tedisco pointed out that the “summertime holiday” is a short-term solution to the increasing gas prices and that the legislature is still working on a long-term plan that involves the use of alternative fuels.
“We don’t think this is a long-term proposal; we have to have alternative fossil fuels if we’re looking long term,” said Tedisco.
The long-term plan includes contributing a portion of the money spent at the pumps to an alternative fuel fund, as well as placing alternative fuel tanks in the ground of approximately 20 Thruway outlets. It would also give credit to motorists using alternative fuel vehicles.
Tedisco also pointed out that decreasing gas prices for the summer will aid in holiday travel for residents and the reduction would help attract tourists to New York state. He noted that hundreds of conventions will be coming to New York City alone this summer.
“We would like to bring in tourism; it’s an over-$40-billion industry and we’d like to bring that to a $50-billion industry,” said Tedisco.
Tedisco said the goal of the grassroots petition drive is simply to build support among the overtaxed motorists to get the Assembly Democrat majority to take action.
The petition drive is expected to last several weeks. Petitions will be collected at the district and legislative offices of Assembly Republican Conference members and then hand-delivered to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
Source: Saratogian
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