Assembly Majority today blocked a Minority proposal to suspend state sales tax on gasoline and a variety of everyday purchases, a measure which would have helped New Yorkers manage persistent inflation. The “Inflation Relief & Consumer Assistance Plan” (A.1690, Barclay) was rejected by Majority lawmakers on the Ways and Means Committee, preventing the bill from advancing to the Assembly floor.
 
“Helping families save money and manage ongoing inflation shouldn’t be a partisan issue – but that’s what New York Majority have turned it into,” Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay said. “For nearly two years, inflation and gas prices have reached record highs. Not nearly enough has been done to help struggling New Yorkers. I’m disappointed my colleagues on the other side of the aisle fail to recognize the affordability crisis that’s crushing our state.”

The “Inflation Relief & Consumer Assistance Plan” would immediately suspend state sales tax charges for two years on items such as gasoline, personal care products, housekeeping and cleaning supplies and some food purchases. These are everyday items that New Yorkers rely upon and have seen significant price hikes over the past two years. The state sales tax on gasoline was suspended for seven months beginning in June 2022, but Majority lawmakers failed to extend the relief measure, and sales tax was reinstated on January 1. 2023.

According to the most recent numbers released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, inflation was at 5% in March. Core inflation, which measures the Consumer Price Index excluding food and energy products, increased in March to 5.6% - up from 5.5% in February.Inflation has been at or above 5% for the past 23 months. When President Biden took office in January 2021, inflation was at 1.4%.

“Inflation has hit America hard, but its impact is felt with greater force in New York. Unfortunately, the Majority have established a high-tax, high-fee, high cost-of-living state. The failure of Assembly Majority lawmakers to advance this bill is a failure to address the number-one issue affecting New Yorkers,” Leader Barclay added.