BUFFALO, N.Y. — Price hikes hit us everywhere, especially at the pumps.
However, Erie County comptroller Kevin Hardwick says more money, like 10 cents per gallon more, may be in your pockets starting June 1.
"We're only going to tax the price of gas at $2 a gallon, so if the price of gas was at $2, we will get 10 cents. If it goes up to $5 a gallon, we would still get 10 cents," Hardwick said.
Currently, drivers in New York only get a county tax break that saves us 26 cents per gallon; both end this month. The state resumed gas tax collection January 1.
County Executive Mark Poloncarz wants to reinstate the tax break on June 1, and extend it to the end of the year. That means drivers will have to pay up during the three months in between.
"March 1, the county's gas tax is going to be back in effect, and I think people will probably see 5, 6, 7, 8 cents a gallon more they're paying," Hardwick says.
Hardwick said the county could lose about $8 million by reinstating the tax break, money that will have to come from somewhere else.
Will people's property taxes will be increasing as a result?
"I don't think so. I believe the county is in good shape right now," Hardwick said.
He continued: "But it's just the question is, every dollar we don't collect one way is a dollar we have to make someplace else, so that might affect our ability to lower taxes even further."
It's a way to save money. In Minority Leader John Mills's words, it's a win-win for everyone.
"Those are tax dollars. Sales tax dollars and property tax dollars, that's going back to the residents," Mills said.
