Today, the assembly minority offered an amendment to provide a sales tax exemption on motor and diesel fuel costing over $2.00 per gallon. The amendment failed 77-63 with 77 majority members voting to retain the tax. The cap would have saved motorists $.08-$.10 per gallon. The bill had previously passed in the Senate.

New Yorkers are taxed $.63 per gallon on average ($.184 federal tax included) the highest rate in the Northeast. Included in the price of a gallon of gasoline are excise taxes, Petroleum Business Taxes, a petroleum testing fee, a spill tax, a federal tax and state and local sales taxes.

“We tried today to bring some relief for these soaring gas prices,” said Assemblyman Joe Giglio (R-Gowanda). “The state is under a windfall from rising gas prices, and some of that money should be returned to the people.”

Giglio and his minority colleagues will continue to introduce legislation targeted at reducing energy and gas costs along with incentives for the development and use of alternative fuels, vehicles and generators.

“We have to do more to ease the burden that people in the Southern Tier and across the state are feeling when it comes to gas and energy costs,” said Giglio. “I look forward to working with the members of my conference to deliver the much needed relief that citizens are asking for.”