Westchester County Executive George Latimer has signed into law a cap on the county”™s collection of sales tax on gas purchases to $.12 per gallon, equal to the cost of the tax if  gasoline carried a retail price of $3.00 per gallon. In addition, Latimer has taken executive action to suspend the collection of Bee-Line Bus fees through the summer.
Latimer had proposed legislation on the gas tax cap and the legislation was passed by the Board of Legislators during a special meeting on April 28. The cap on the gasoline tax has a time limitation and will run only from June 1, 2022 to August 31, 2022. The time period and maximum amount of the tax could be modified or extended through additional legislation.
Latimer”™s directive on the County”™s Bee-Line Bus fares did not require legislation. The suspension of fares will begin during the summer. An expiration date was not announced.
Board of Legislators Chairwoman Catherine Borgia said of the gas tax cap, “We hope it will be a small step to help families balance their budgets this summer, a time when gas prices typically rise and families take road trips and driving vacations. Just as important is the temporary suspension of bus fares. We really want to encourage people to use less gasoline altogether”
Legislator Vedat Gashi, chair of the Board’s Budget and Appropriations Committee, said, “While we’d love to see everyone using less fossil fuel, the reality is many residents and businesses still rely on gasoline and any help that we can provide during this time of relatively high and uncertain pricing is something we want to do.”
Latimer commented, “These two actions, both the capping of our gas tax and suspension of Bee-Line Bus fees, are simple measures that can really add up for Westchester residents. No matter how you commute, saving money on your trips each day can make a big difference. I thank the Board of Legislators for their partnership on this important, and timely, legislation.”
