NEW YORK — New York lawmakers finally reached a long-overdue deal on the state’s new budget Thursday, one that will include a gas tax exemption for most of this year.
The agreement, as introduced in the Assembly, would suspend portions of the state gas tax on both unleaded gas and diesel from June 1 to December 31. The state now gets about 33 cents a gallon, and the deal would cover about 16 cents of that.
Also included in the budget is a provision expanding popular pandemic-era alcohol takeout rules, allowing restaurants to sell alcohol for takeout or delivery for the next three years, as long as it’s accompanied by a “food substantial”.
The state budget was due to be completed by law on April 1, but intense negotiations over a series of policy changes added to the bill complicated matters.
Lawmakers had to pass an “extension” to ensure that state employees would continue to be paid; which was due on Thursday.
This is a developing story.
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