NY Gas Prices Continue To Climb: Here's The Latest Reason Why

NEW YORK — Gas prices continue to rise in New York and will probably won't stop until gas tax "holidays" kick in statewide and in some counties June 1.

Lawmakers in Albany came to an agreement with Gov. Kathy Hochul in April to give New Yorkers a break when it comes to the state's gas taxes beginning June 1 and continuing through the end of the year.

Both Nassau and Suffolk counties agreed to cap collection of the local sales tax on gas.

Westchester lawmakers OK'd capping the sales tax on gasoline purchases at 12 cents per gallon in effect from June 1 to Aug. 31.

No matter how long the cuts stay in place, they will more than likely be welcomed.

AAA spokesman Andrew Gross blamed the rising prices on the higher cost of crude oil, which was near $100 a barrel last week and is now closer to $110.

"With the cost of oil accounting for more than half of the pump price, more expensive oil means more expensive gasoline," he said. "These prices are creeping closer to those record high levels of early March."

On Tuesday, the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $4.37, up 4 cents from Monday, according to AAA.

In New York, the average price Tuesday for a gallon of gas was $4.57. A week ago, the state's average price was $4.36: a year ago, $3.00.

The average price of gas in Manhattan Tuesday led the rest of New York at $5.04 per gallon.

North and east of the city, prices are a mixed bag.

Westchester and Putnam counties are seeing average prices Tuesday of $4.73 and $4.71, respectively, per gallon. Nassau and Suffolk are a penny apart: $4.60 and $4.61, respectively.

Columbia County has the lowest average price as of Tuesday in the Hudson Valley. It's $4.51 per gallon.

What are you paying at the gas pump where you live? Tell us how much and where in the comments.