Error Stalls Suffolk Sales Gas Tax Cap

A Suffolk County law set to go into effect March 1 that would have capped sales tax on gasoline purchases and saved drivers about $1 million annually has been stalled due to a technical error, the legislature’s top Democratic lawmaker said Wednesday.

“I regret to inform the public that due to a technical error the new law capping the gasoline sales tax when the price reaches $3 a gallon was never filed with New York State and thus cannot be implemented now, as we hoped it would be,” Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook) said in a statement.

The law was expected to create between $5 and $10 in savings annually for drivers buying gasoline in Suffolk because they would only pay county sales tax on the first $3 of every gallon. According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Nassau and Suffolk Counties Thursday was $3.42, up from $2.70 on the same date last year.

The legislation never got filed with state tax officials in Albany because it was missing a sentence, explained Kara Hahn, Suffolk County Legislature spokesperson.

The delay could cost residents about $1 million in savings, she added, and the cap will not be implemented now until around June 1.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy sent the legislature a Certificate of Necessity Thursday so the measure can be voted on again. Suffolk officials were told by the state a new resolution had to be passed. The gas cap will go into effect three months from the date the law is filed with the state.

“I am disappointed that a legal clerical error will cost Suffolk County residents some much needed relief at the gas pump,” said Thomas Muratore (R-Ronkonkoma), the sponsor of the gas tax cap resolution.

“Our residents expect and deserve more from the legislature’s internal operations.”