Gas tax holidays such as those being proposed by Sen. Greg Ball and Assemblyman Jim Tedisco in response to the most recent spike at the pump sound really great. I mean, who wouldn’t like a break when prices as fast climbing toward $5 per gallon?

During a Red Room press conference yesterday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo didn’t rule out supporting the idea, saying he has to take a look at the numbers. But not everyone is a fan.

In a letter to the two Republican lawmakers, which appears below, Associated General Contractors of New York President and CEO Mike Elmendorf expressed concern over the plan, noting it calls for temporary suspension of the state excise tax, sales tax and Petroleum Business Tax on gas – all of which are used to fund the state’s already insolvent Dedicated Bridge and Highway Trust Fund.

While allowing that his members are also upset over high gas prices, Elmendorf pointed out that the fund is already being raided – to the tune of $700 million a year – for unreleated expenses like snow removal and bus inspections when it is supposed to be dedicated for the state’s crumbling transporation infrastructure.

He also questioned whether temporarily relieving drivers of these taxes would even translate in savings, citing a TU report on how counties’ reduction of local gas taxes back in 2006 failed to impact per gallon prices.

AGC NYS Gas Tax Holiday Response

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