MIDDLETOWN, N.Y.—The Orange County Legislature fell two votes short of approving a temporary measure on April 28 to stop collecting sales tax on gasoline prices above $3 per gallon, despite several legislators indicating they supported the concept of tax relief.
The attempted change comes as gas prices hit a national 4-year high, with the average Orange County price per gallon at $4.21 as of April 29. The resolution failed to pass as only nine of the 17 present legislators voted in favor, with 11 needed to pass it. The county legislature has 21 total representatives.Since Orange County holds a 3.75 percent sales tax, the cap would have saved drivers 3.75 cents per gallon for every dollar the price of gas exceeded that $3 threshold. At current gasoline prices, the savings per gallon would be close to 5 cents. The resolution would’ve gone into effect on June 1 and ended on March 1, 2027.
