Conservatives Join with Assembly Republican Leader Jim Tedisco's Call for A

 "Summertime Holiday" from State Gas Taxes

Ft. Hamilton Station, NY – "Assembly Leader Jim Tedisco was right to bring the issue of gas tax relief directly to the people. In May of 2001, we joined with then Assembly Leader John Faso, to eliminate the sales tax as well. We continue to join forces to help the families in New York State that are struggling to make ends meet," said State Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long.
 

"The Assembly Democrat Majority must join with Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, in enacting a "summertime holiday" from state gas taxes for motorists. It is incomprehensible why Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Governor David Paterson refuse to give New York families some relief, Long continued.


Tedisco and the Assembly GOP are advocating for enactment of legislation - Assembly Bill A.10818 - that would establish a "summertime holiday" from state gas taxes. The holiday would suspend the three separate state 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, providing a savings of nearly 33-cents per gallon of gasoline and 31-cents per gallon of diesel fuel. The drive was launched on Sunday and the Conservative Party will distribute to our leaders the petitions Tedisco launched in Albany as well as have on our website.


"Record-high gas prices are truly hurting motorists, small businesses and our economy. 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," Long said.


"The Senate, led by Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, has already passed legislation that institutes a summer holiday from gas taxes and the Assembly Minority is trying to give the same relief to New Yorkers. Only Sheldon Silver stands in the way. Tell him we need this legislation now! The Assembly Democrat Majority is always talking about their concerns for the "working families" of New York and is constantly trying to take money from the rich for the working families, so why are the intentionally keeping this legislation off the floor for a vote by the full Assembly? Motorists deserve this break at least for the summer. There seems to be no end in soaring gas prices, but suspending the state taxes on fuel would give New Yorkers some relief," Long said.


"Tedisco's goal of the statewide grassroots petition drive is simple: build enough support among overtaxed, overburdened motorists to get the Assembly Democrat Majority to take action and pass the bill that would make the gas tax holiday a reality and we are more than willing to help Jim Tedisco make this a reality. We worked together to end the ill-conceived idea of drivers licenses for non-citizens and were successful on that issue and we will be on this one as well," Long concluded.

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