(L-R Leg. Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, Leg. Debra Mule, Leg. Cynthia Nunez, Leg. Olena Nicks host a press conference proposing the Nassau County Gas Tax Holiday, From April 20, 2025 )
Mineola, NY (May 11, 2026) — After President Donald Trump said Monday that he wants to suspend the federal gas tax “for a period of time,” Nassau County Legislator Cynthia Nuñez is calling on County Executive Bruce Blakeman and the Republican Majority in the Nassau County Legislature to immediately stop blocking her proposal for a local gas tax holiday and bring it up for a vote. Trump also told reporters Monday he intended to suspend the federal gas tax, which is about 18 cents per gallon.
Nuñez said Trump’s comments have wiped away any excuse Nassau Republicans had for refusing to act while residents are being hammered by rising prices at the pump.
“Donald Trump says he supports suspending the gas tax. His own Energy Secretary says the administration supports all measures that can lower prices at the pump. So what exactly is Bruce Blakeman’s excuse now?” Legislator Cynthia Nuñez said. “If Republicans in Washington can admit that high gas prices are hurting working families and support tax relief, then Nassau Republicans should stop stalling and pass my gas tax holiday now.”
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said over the weekend that the administration supports measures that could lower prices at the pump, and Reuters reported Monday that Democrats had already introduced gas-tax suspension proposals earlier this year while Sen. Josh Hawley now plans to introduce Republican legislation as well.
Nuñez said Nassau County residents do not have the luxury of waiting while politicians play games.
“For weeks, Nassau Republicans have treated this like a political inconvenience instead of an economic emergency,” Nuñez said. “Now their own party’s leader is saying exactly what we’ve been saying: people need relief. If a gas tax holiday is good enough for Donald Trump to support in Washington, then it is good enough for Bruce Blakeman and the Republican Legislature to support here in Nassau County.”
Nuñez’s legislation would provide temporary local relief at the pump by capping the taxable price of gasoline and diesel for Nassau County sales-tax purposes, following the same model Nassau used in 2022 when gas prices spiked after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Her proposal would give residents targeted relief while fuel costs remain elevated.
The pressure on drivers is real. Reuters reported Monday that average gasoline prices had climbed to about $4.52 per gallon amid the Iran war and disruptions tied to the Strait of Hormuz. Americans already pay an average of roughly 51 cents per gallon in taxes and fees, with about 18 cents of that going to the federal government.
Nuñez said the contrast has become impossible to ignore.
“When gas prices surged before, this body was willing to talk about relief. Now that prices are rising under Donald Trump, Nassau Republicans suddenly want to look the other way,” Nuñez said. “Families do not care about partisan excuses. They care about whether they can afford to fill their tanks, get to work, and take care of their families.”
Nuñez and her fellow Democratic colleagues urged Blakeman and the Republican Majority to stop blocking her proposal and bring it to the floor immediately.
“This should not be complicated,” Nuñez said. “Trump supports suspending the gas tax. Republicans in Congress are moving legislation. Other counties in New York have already acted. Nassau should stop dragging its feet and do the same.”
Nassau County Democratic Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton said, “Bruce Blakeman cannot hide behind partisan excuses anymore. Donald Trump has now signaled support for suspending the gas tax, which makes Nassau Republicans’ refusal to act look even more cynical and out of touch. If they really care about affordability, they should pass Cynthia Nuñez’s gas tax relief bill immediately.”
Legislator Debra Mulé said, “Bruce Blakeman loves to talk about affordability, but when there’s a real proposal on the table to lower costs at the pump, he suddenly runs out of gas. Nassau families are getting squeezed every time they fill up, and this Legislature should be doing everything in its power to deliver relief. A temporary gas tax cap is a practical, immediate step we can take right now — not another press conference, not another political excuse, real savings for real people.”
Legislator Olena Nicks said, “Nassau residents do not need more excuses or political theater. They need action. We already know this kind of temporary relief can be done, because this Legislature supported it before. The question now is whether Bruce Blakeman and the Republican Majority are willing to help people, or whether they would rather keep playing politics while prices rise.”