New York to suspend gasoline taxes Wednesday amid surging prices

May 31 (UPI) -- New York will suspend some of its gas taxes on Wednesday, joining other states in attempting to provide relief at the pump amid rising oil prices.

Legislators in New York approved a budget in April including the suspension which will lift the state's 8-cent per gallon motor fuel tax and 8-cent per gallon sales tax on gasoline statewide through Dec. 31.

Overall the tax break is expected to cost the state more than $580 million in lost revenue.

Also Wednesday, New York's Onondaga County will cap its sales tax on gasoline at 12 cents a gallon through Nov. 30. Oswego County had already capped its sales tax for gas at 12 cents per gallon.

Elsewhere in the state, the Oneida Indian Nation plans to suspend its gasoline tax for the remainder of 2022 at Maple Leaf Market and SavOn locations in Oneida and Madison Counties.

According to AAA, the national average price of gasoline was $4.62 per gallon on Tuesday, as oil prices both in the United States and globally have risen in part due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

State gas tax and fees averaged 38.69 cents at the start of the year, according to the American Petroleum Institute, but along with New York other states have taken efforts to alleviate these costs.

On March 18, Maryland suspended its 36.1-cent per gallon tax on gas and 36.85-cents per gallon tax for 30 days, while Georgia suspended the state's 29.1-cent per gallon gasoline tax and 32.6-cent per gallon tax for diesel through Tuesday, making them the first states to lift their fuel taxes.

Connecticut followed on March 23 when state lawmakers passed a bill to suspend the state's 25-cent per gallon motor vehicle tax with the backing of Gov. Ted Lamont.

Lawmakers in Florida have agreed to suspend the state's 27-cent per gallon gas tax for one month in October, while the Michigan state Senate passed a bill that would cut its state gas tax from mid-June through mid-September.

In California, which has the highest average gas prices per gallon, Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed giving drivers up to two $400 debit rebate cards in July if approved by the state legislature.