County Legislator Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), along with legislators Tom Cilmi (R-Bay Shore) and Tom Muratore (R-Ronkonkoma) have introduced legislation authorizing a referendum on a bill to repeal the county’s residential energy tax. The tax, 2.5 percent on home energy fuels, is the only one of its type in New York, according to Romaine.
“Let the people decide whether they want this nuisance tax,” Romaine said at a news conference in Hauppauge Tuesday. “People are tired of their government spending too much, taxing too much, and going into debt too much.”
Every additional fee, every additional tax, every additional surcharge from every level of government is killing our economy,” Cilmi said. “Individually, they may not seem like much, but added together, people just can’t afford to live here anymore.”
The residential energy sales tax is one of the most regressive taxes imposed on residents as it is not related to an individuals “ability to pay” and taxes a necessity, home heating fuels, Romaine said. It is applied to electricity, natural gas, propane, kerosene and wood.
Revenue generated by this tax is estimated to be $54 million in 2010, an almost three-fold increase from when it was first imposed in 2001, after the economic uncertainties of the 9/11 attacks, according to a press release issued by Romaine.
Repealing the tax will provide a stimulus to the local economy by placing more disposable income in the pockets of consumers, Romaine said.
The bill does authorizes a referendum to be held in November. If approved, the tax would expire August 31, 2011.
Romaine said he also intends to introduce a companion bill that would create a bipartisan panel of government finance experts to review county tax and budget policy and determine the best methods to fund county government.
The energy tax referendum bill now goes before committee. A public hearing will be held on March 2 at 2:30 p.m., at the Evans K. Griffing Building in Riverhead. A vote by the entire legislature could come as early as March 23.
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