Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli (D- Syracuse) joined truckers from around the state at the Capitol steps this afternoon rallying for help from rising fuel costs.

“Truckers are the lifeblood of the state economy, we rely on them for everything from the food on or table, to the products that furnish our homes,” Magnarelli said. “The high cost of diesel fuel, tolls and taxes trickle down to our wallets and affect us all.”

Yesterday the Assembly passed a package of legislation aimed at providing not only truckers, but all motorists with relief from rising fuel costs. Provisions of the package included a windfall tax on “Big Oil’s” record profits and measures to ensure those taxes are not passed on to consumers.

“In 2006, I voted for a law capping the state sales tax on gasoline at $2 per gallon – saving New York motorists more than $250 million a year, but you can’t tell New York State has saved drivers millions because ‘Big Oil’ is taking those savings back in ever higher profits,” Magnarelli said. “By 2009, ‘Big Oil’ will have soaked up $600 million in savings that was supposed to go to the consumer. This is flat-out wrong.”

Magnarelli noted that the sales tax cap measure was offered to local governments as an option and 15 counties enacted it, but eight, including Onondaga County, repealed the cap when it was evident the savings was not being passed on to motorists.

“For 8 years the Bush administration has failed the American people and the citizens of New York by allowing “Big Oil” to get away with highway robbery,” Magnarelli said. “We must do everything in our power to protect the economy of New York State and its residents.”

Magnarelli also noted that he is the author of legislation to repeal the Ton Mile Tax imposed on truckers who use the New York Interstate System (A.421). Recent audits by the Comptrollers office, as well as, toll hikes have prompted Magnarelli to also support the removal of the Thruway Authority Board (A.10286).

“Just as the Bush Administration has failed us at the federal level, the remnants of former Governor Pataki’s administration, such as the current Thruway Authority Board, have failed us here at home,” Magnarelli said. “Central New Yorker’s are being squeezed into economic crisis and we must do everything in our power to help.”