State lawmakers in north country push for extra gas sales tax relief

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - With gas prices so high, the state Senate has a proposal that could help. But, two lawmakers from the north country are still pushing for more.

The Senate proposed that part of the state’s gas sales tax be suspended from May 1 until the end of the year.

Senator Patty Ritchie (R. - 48th District) says this is a 16 cent cut per gallon of gas. But Ritchie says she wants more.

“When you have someone here in the north country that has to spend a hundred dollars a week on gas now just to get to their work, then they go to the grocery store and there’s such a huge increase. There’s only so much money to go around,” she said.

Ritchie says the state should enact a total suspension of the gas sales tax. That would be a 47 cent cut.

“People want to be real about doing something about the people they represent; then this is a way they could do it. And it would have an effect immediately,” said Ritchie.

Senator Joe Griffo agrees with Ritchie. Griffo says on top of the state’s gas tax, federal and county-level governments should also suspend their gas taxes

“I think anything shorter than that, a modest reduction is not going to be significant because even 62 cents or even 48 cents is going to have a small impact,” said Griffo (R. - 47th District).

There’s no gas tax suspension proposal from the state Assembly.

As for the governor, she has been hesitant about a suspension, but she has said she’s looking at options.

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