We’ve all seen it first-hand -- the price of gasoline just seems to go up and up.

In 2006, the Legislature took steps to help New York motorists deal with ever-increasing gas prices. We enacted legislation to cap the State sales tax on gasoline to ease some of the burden at the pump.

In the Executive Budget, however, that commitment to New Yorkers was tossed aside with a proposal to eliminate the cap on gasoline sales taxes and, instead, institute an adjustable tax, tied to national gas prices. It is estimated that, when fully phased in, this change would increase State revenues by $55.9 million. The problem is -- these revenues will come directly out of your wallet every time you put gas in your car or truck.

And the Executive Budget proposal has another dart to throw at New York motorists. It proposes to raise the Motor Vehicle Insurance Fee, a fee levied annually on every auto insurance policy sold in New York State, from $5 to $20 -- a 300% increase!

As with a number of other suggestions made in the Executive Budget proposal, the cost of these two budget items will fall disproportionately on the shoulders of drivers outside New York City. For those of us who need to drive to work, school, church or the store, those trips will be more expensive.

The Executive Budget proposal supposedly does not raise taxes -- I beg to differ. The Senate’s recently passed budget restores the gas cap and eliminates the increase in the Motor Vehicle Insurance Fee. Now we begin the process of negotiating the budget with the Assembly, with an eye toward the April 1st deadline.