NYPost | By Carl Campanile | March 26, 2023
A new bill introduced by a Brooklyn state lawmaker would impose a 25 cent tax on all products purchased online with Amazon and other e-tailers in New York City.
State Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D-Brooklyn) said in a memo accompanying his legislation that the proceeds earmarked for infrastructure improvements such as repairing the beleaguered Brooklyn Queens Expressway.
“By imposing a negligible 25 cent surcharge on the online delivery packages responsible for the diesel-powered, heavy-duty vehicles polluting our air, imperiling our bicyclists and pedestrians, clogging our roadways, and by crushing our highways, bridges, and cantilevers, we can begin to truly invest in alternative modes of freight transportation while securing needed repairs for the BQE,” Gounardes said.
Gounardes’ proposal comes as Albany lawmakers in the state Assembly have floated potentially hitting streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO Max with the state’s 4% sales tax as a way to fund the cash-strapped Metropolitan Transportation Authority.