Nassau Dems Propose Cutting County's Gas Tax

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — The Democrats in the Nassau County Legislature have proposed suspending the county's gasoline tax to help ease the burden residents are paying at the pump. The plan would save Nassau gas buyers a few cents per gallon.

Nassau County doesn't have a dedicated tax on gasoline, but it does collect 4.25 percent sales tax on gasoline purchases. According to AAA, the average price in Nassau County on March 9 was $4.415 per gallon. Suspending the tax would save 18.8 cents per gallon. The savings would increase along with gas prices. If gas hit $5 a gallon, it would equate to 21.25 cents per gallon saved.

“No Nassau County resident should be forced to choose between filling their gas tank and filling their prescriptions, but as fuel prices continue to climb, that is what far too many are confronted with,” Minority Leader Kevan Abrahams said. “Temporarily suspending Nassau’s gasoline sales taxes will go a long way toward protecting local families as our nation takes difficult but necessary steps in the pursuit of peace.”

According to Abrahams, cutting the county's gas tax wouldn't have much of an impact on the county's revenue. He cited a recent analysis that said eliminating the gasoline tax would have a small impact on the county's projected sales tax surplus for the 2022 fiscal year.

“Not only do soaring gas prices especially hurt working families, seniors, and residents living on a fixed income, they jeopardize economic growth in a crucial recovery period for our region,” Abrahams said. “That is why it is so important to take immediate emergency action that puts money directly back into the hands of our residents when they need it the most.”

New York state lawmakers have also proposed suspending the state's gasoline tax, which would save up to 48 cents per gallon. But it's unclear if that proposal will pass.

But Nassau County Republicans don't seem to support the plan.

“It is ironic that the Democratic minority is now concerned about gas prices, when Democrat policies have deliberately reduced energy production, eroded America’s energy independence and directly increased the cost of fuel,” said Legislative Presiding Officer Richard Nicolello.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who would have to approve the plan if the legislature passed it, also did not seem to be behind the idea.

“The increase in energy prices is directly attributable to federal and state policies that have decreased domestic production and relied on foreign energy sources which have increased energy costs and made us vulnerable to foreign powers," he said in a statement to Patch. "I would hope that those minority legislators lobby their colleagues in Albany and Washington to reopen the Keystone XL pipeline and take other measures which would lower energy costs and make America more secure.”

According to AAA, the current surge in gas prices is fueled mainly by the Russian invasion of Ukraine causing instability in the market. Yesterday, President Joseph Biden announced that America would suspend the import of Russian oil and gasoline. Though only a small amount of America's oil comes from Russia, it's still causing turmoil at the pumps.