Politics & Government

As Gas Prices Rise, Congressional Candidates Weigh in on Solutions

Gasoline now topping $4 per gallon in Huntington.

With gas prices now more than $4 per gallon and expected to rise on Long Island, 2nd Congressional District candidates remain at odds on the causes and solutions to the problem.

At a Huntington , Patch asked Rep. Steve Israel about the skyrocketing gas prices and the reasoning behind his pro-environment, anti-drilling voting record as a member of the House of Representatives.

Israel said he is leading the fight to end the practice to subsidize big oil companies when oil companies are making record-breaking profits. The top five oil companies in America made $137 billion in profits, with profits up 75 percent, according to Israel.

Find out what's happening in Huntingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Why are House Republicans insisting that Americans keep digging into their pockets to subsidize those profits?" asked . "Want to bring down oil costs? Quit subsidizing oil company executives."

Republican Stephen Labate on Tuesday criticized his Democratic opponent for voting to keep a moritorium on offshore and intercontinental shelf drilling, while voting to shelve the Keystone oil pipeline in times of need. 

Find out what's happening in Huntingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Labate cited Israel's support of the failed Solyndra and Beacon Energy Corp. as examples of energy solutions that do not work.

Calling it a national security issue, Labate told Patch Israel is not wrapping his arms around the viciousness of the problem.

"I don't believe that we should be totally eliminating right now what is a primary source of energy by not allowing refineries and drilling for oil when we are so dependent on it," said Labate, who hopes to unseat Israel in November.

With prices at an all-time high of $3.51 a gallon last year, Americans spent 8.4 percent of their household income on gasoline last year, according to an Associated Press report. The figure is double the percentage of a decade ago, even with demand at its the lowest in 11 years and people driving fewer miles in more efficient cars, according to the AP.

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in New York this week is now at $3.89, according to AAA.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here