Putnam Supports ‘Utility Tax Holiday’

By Holly Crocco

The Putnam County Legislature voted 8-1 last week to send a memorialization up to Albany supporting State Sen. Rob Rolison’s proposed “utility tax holiday.”

Rolison, R-Poughkeepsie, has proposed a one-year suspension of utility bill and tax surcharges and a two-year suspension of green energy gas taxes, with the hopes of providing relief to residents facing high utility costs.

“All of us in this room have received calls from residents that their utility bills are too high,” said Legislator Bill Gouldman, R-Putnam Valley, during the Legislature’s May 5 meeting. He put for the resolution when it was before the Economic Committee last month.

Gouldman said the State Legislature has given this sort of tax relief in the past – citing the 2022 “gas tax holiday,” when gas prices soared above $5 per gallon.

“Most people don’t pay attention to these taxes, they just know that their bills are too high,” he said. “But now, because all of our bills are going through the roof, the state needs to take immediate action to help residents of Putnam County and throughout the Hudson Valley.”

Legislator Nancy Montgomery, D-Philipstown, was the lone “no.”

“Of course, I’m in favor of affordability, but what I really don’t like about this bill is it gives that tax holiday to big businesses and corporations,” she said. “There’s other away to address the affordability issues we have in this county and the state.”

Further, Montgomery said the proposal just shifts costs rather than solves them.

“Do I support helping residents with bills? Of course, I do,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be better to offer a bill assistance program rather than providing more tax breaks for corporations? Wouldn’t it be better to offer a proposal for ratepayer protections? Wouldn’t it be better to advocate for programs to help people pay their bills? … I think we need real, targeted relief.”

Legislator Jake D’Angelo, R-Carmel, countered: “When a corporation or business has fees or bills that are higher, they don’t allow for a loss on their P/L (profit and loss) sheet, they just pass those additional costs onto their consumers. The cost that they’re paying would still come down in one way, shape, or form to the consumer, who we are trying to protect by urging Albany to move forward with this holiday on the utility taxes,” he said.

Legislator Laura Russo, R-Patterson, said Albany is being greedy.

“The governor budgeted for a certain amount of money, not this astronomical amount, where my bill is usually $150 and now it’s $1,000,” she said. “It’s ridiculous. Albany doesn’t need to collect that much sales tax on my electric bills.”

Gouldman said the matter isn’t a political issue.

“I get my electric bill every month – it doesn’t have big ‘D’ on it or an ‘R’ on it,” he said. “There is no such thing as a Republican bill or Democrat bill. This is for everyone.”