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In Rockland County, beginning on Wednesday, June 1, the local sales cap tax on gas will be capped at $2 per gallon, amid the record spike in prices at the pump.
According to officials, the change means sales tax will only be applied to the first $2 of a gasoline purchase, as opposed to the full gas price.
The cap will be in effect through Feb. 28, 2023.
Officials said that inspectors from the Rockland County Office of Consumer Protection "have been and will continue to survey gas stations to make sure these savings are factored into pricing at the pump.”
“We hope this temporary stopgap measure provides some relief to families who are now struggling with skyrocketing inflation and gas prices, but we need the federal government to step up, take responsibility, and tackle the real issues driving up costs across the board,” Rockland County Executive Ed Day said.
Further, they noted that the 2022 New York State Budget provides a suspension of the state excise and sales tax, providing a combined 16 cents per gallon savings to motorists beginning in June and lasting through the end of the year.
Officials said that at the current price of gasoline, this cap will generate approximately 8 cents in additional savings for consumers which, when coupled with state tax suspensions, should result in an estimated 24 cents in relief at the gas pump starting this summer.
Currently, in New York, the average price of gas per gallon on Tuesday, May 31 was at $4.93, up 60 cents from a month ago and from $3.08 on May 31, 2021.
The average gas price in the Hudson Valley, by county, on May 31, according to AAA:
- Westchester: $5.08
- Rockland: $5.08;
- Putnam: $5.03;
- Dutchess: $5.01;
- Ulster: $4.93;
- Sullivan: $4.90
- Orange: $4.89.
Nationally, the average price per gallon is at $4.62, the highest recorded price since AAA began tracking them.
“We are all feeling the pinch as the prices of everything have increased, but people still need to get to work, take their kids to school and summer camp, go to the doctor and grocery shop,” County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood, Jr. added. "They need to put gas in their car and hopefully this will bring some relief to Rockland County families.”
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