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During his latest briefing, Latimer announced that he is directing the county’s Bee-Line bus service to suspend fares for riders during the summer until a later date.
The free rides are expected to begin on Wednesday, June 1.
In addition to the Bee-Line bus announcement, Latimer also threw his support behind suspending gas taxes amid record inflation in record-high prices at the pump.
That legislation has been submitted to the Westchester Board of Legislators, he said, which would cap the tax on gasoline at 12 cents a gallon from June 1 through the end of November.
If approved, the legislation would be similar to that of measures taken in nearby Rockland and Dutchess counties in the Hudson Valley.
That must be approved by the Board of Legislators in the coming weeks for it to be enacted by the beginning of June.
“We believe it’s the right action to take,” Latimer said about the decision to levy bus fares and limit taxing on gas, calling the savings “profound.”
In New York, the average price of gas per gallon is up to $4.24, ahead of the national average of $4.13, according to AAA on Tuesday, April 26.
In Westchester, drivers are paying an average of $4.44 per gallon.
“Between the lowering of the gas tax and the lifting of fares on the buses, the two of those items together will have an impact on the county budget in terms of revenue but we can absorb that given the performance we've had this year in terms of sales tax and other revenue streams,” Latimer said during his most recent briefing, which can be viewed above.
The average gas price in the rest of the region, per AAA:
- Putnam: $4.43;
- Rockland: $4.43;
- Dutchess: $4.32;
- Orange: $4.22;
- Sullivan: $4.22;
- Greene: $4.21;
- Columbia: $4.16;
- Ulster: $4.11.
“As long as the price of oil stays elevated, the price at the pump will struggle to fall,” AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross stated. “Consumers may be catching a little break from March’s record-high prices, but don’t expect any dramatic drops.”
This is a developing story. Check Daily Voice for updates.
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