AUBURN -- Cayuga County Legislators repealed a six-month-old cap on the sales tax on gas on Tuesday.

Supporting lawmakers argued they would rather do away with the gasoline relief and use the projected revenue to lower the property tax levy. They won in an 8-4 vote to repeal the cap beginning in March.

The cap saves consumers a nickel per gallon at the pump at the current average of $3.26 per gallon. Since June, the county has capped its 4-percent cut of sales tax at the $2 per gallon mark.

Venice Enterprises owner Colleen Rejman asked the Legislature to keep the cap before the vote.

"I feel it would be a big mistake to remove this," she said. "I'm definitely seeing the difference."

Removing the cap makes her business less competitive, especially when neighboring counties continue to offer the tax break on their diesel fuel and gasoline, Rejman said. Legislator Christopher Palermo, R-Sterling, agreed with that sentiment.

"It's a pretty easy tax to avoid," he said.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Dudley, R-Cato, said he would rather see a break in property tax than sales tax.

"I also run a trucking business," Dudley said. "And we also pay property taxes.

"There are many more people that pay the gas tax than there are property taxpayers."

Read the full report in Wednesday's edition of The Citizen.