Westchester OKs Temporary Cap On Gas Sales Tax

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Gas tax relief for Westchester County residents is on the way.

The Westchester Board of Legislators approved a measure Thursday in a special meeting to cap the sales tax on gas purchases at 12 cents per gallon — the equivalent of the tax drivers would pay if gas was $3 per gallon — and it was signed into law by County Executive George Latimer.

Tax relief will run from June 1 through August 31.

Along with the gas tax cap, fares will be suspended on the county's Bee-Line bus system for the same period.

Latimer proposed the gas tax cap earlier in the week.

He said it was designed to help residents struggling with inflationary pressures and uncertainty in gas prices related to the war in Ukraine and other market factors.

County officials said the fare holiday is expected to have no impact on the county budget because of federal transit support for the bus system.

Board Chairwoman Catherine Borgia, D-Briarcliff Manor, said she was proud of the steps taken in recent years to strengthen the county's finances so that there was the flexibility to help Westchester residents with the temporary tax relief.

"We hope it will be a small step to help families balance their budgets this summer," she said, "a time when gas prices typically rise and families take road trips and driving vacations."

Borgia also said the suspension of bus fares is just as important.

"We really want to encourage people to use less gasoline altogether," she said. "I hope the bus fare holiday will inspire more people to leave their cars at home and try the county's terrific bus system."