In the hopes of forcing the Assembly Democrat Majority to stop delaying and finally join the State Senate in enacting a “summertime holiday” from state gas taxes for motorists, central New York Assembly Republicans announced Thursday the launch of a statewide, grassroots petition drive aimed at building public support for the measure.

The Assembly GOP are advocating for enactment of legislation — Assembly Bill A.10818 – that would establish a “summertime holiday” from state gas taxes. The holiday would suspend the three separate state taxes on fuel — the 8-cent motor fuel tax, the 8-cent sales tax and the 16-cent Petroleum Business Tax — from Memorial Day until Labor Day, providing a savings of nearly 33-cents per gallon of gasoline and 31-cents per gallon of diesel fuel.

“Record high gas prices are putting a strain on motorists’ wallets, family budgets and small businesses’ bottom lines. It’s time we work to alleviate the pain at the pump,” said Assemblyman Will Barclay (R,C,I-Pulaski). “Many businesses capitalize on summer tourism, and tourists will be scarce enough because of the cost of transportation.

Though we can’t influence the price of a barrel of oil, we could at least stop collecting as much tax as we are on gas. The average gas taxes in New York is $0.41 while in New Jersey and Vermont, state gas taxes are closer to $.15 and $0.20 a gallon.”

“New York State has only a few options to lessen the burden that people are facing at the gasoline pump,” said Assemblyman Robert C. Oaks (R–Macedon). “The Gas Tax Holiday is aimed at providing critical relief to central New York’s working families. The quickest way to do that is by enacting a summertime break from the three separate state taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel, as it would save motorists roughly 30-cents per gallon, every time they fill their tanks.”

“Everyone in New York, from farmers and business owners, to middle-class families and fixed-income seniors, feel the impact of rising gas prices,” said Assemblyman Gary D. Finch, R–Springport. “We need to provide relief, immediately. The Senate has already passed legislation creating a gas tax-free summer season, and now the onus is on Speaker Silver to allow this issue to come to the Assembly floor for a vote. We cannot wait a minute longer to suspend state taxes on fuel.”

The Assembly GOP’s petition drive is expected to last several weeks. Petitions will be collected at the district and legislative offices of Assembly Republican Conference Members and then hand-delivered to Sheldon Silver, the Speaker of the Assembly.