Putnam to give consumers tax break on gas at the pump

CARMEL – Putnam Legislature Chairman Dan Birmingham has called for a special meeting of the nine-member governing body’s Budget and Finance Committee to discuss approving a tax break for gasoline purchases in the wake of skyrocketing fuel prices due to global oil disruptions resulting from United States military actions in Iran.

Birmingham noted on Tuesday that legislation was being drafted and will be discussed and approved next Monday following committee meetings of the Economic Development and Audit Committees.

Birmingham said preliminary plans will result in Putnam’s reduction mirroring similar legislation approved in Rockland County, where starting on June 1, the county’s share of sales tax will not be collected for any per gallon price of fuel exceeding $3.00.

The reduction won’t kick in until June because according to the State Department of Taxation, local jurisdictions can only change local sales tax rates quarterly on March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1.