Gas Prices Finally Set To Fall in Utica-Rome area

It's not the long-term relief at the gas pump that motorists have been hoping for, but your next fill-up at the gas station should cost you a few bucks less than the last.

Starting tomorrow, June 1, the average price for a gallon gas should be down 25-cents or more at gas at stations throughout Oneida County. That's because of actions taken by the New York State Legislature and the Oneida County Board of Legislators.

In separate votes this spring, each acted to suspended a portion of the gas tax that each government collects on the sale of a gallon of gas. From New York State's end, the price reduction from the tax-cap will amount to a saving of .16-cents per gallon.

Additionally, Oneida County is capping collection of it's 4.75% share of taxes on each gallon at the first three-dollars. In the Utica-Rome area, where the average price of regular-unleaded currently stands $4.88 cents a gallon, that would equal an additional savings of about 9-cents.

The partial New York State tax suspension will be in place through the end of year.

Oneida County's tax collection cap will remain in place through the end of November.

Despite the tax-break and small relief on the way, gas prices nationwide have continued to climb since the above mentioned actions taken by the respective legislative bodies. When Oneida County unanimously voted to cap it's portion of sales tax on gasoline purchases, the  average price in Utica-Rome was about $4.25 a gallon. Six weeks later, the average prices in New York State is up almost 70 cents to $4.92.

Some other New York counites also opted to limited or cap collection of their sales tax on gas. Among them is nearby Onondaga County.