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New Surcharges Raise Tax on Car Rentals

by Matthew Schuerman

NEW YORK, NY July 02, 2009 —That car you're renting for a holiday getaway this weekend is going to cost you much, much more. That's because new state surcharges went into effect yesterday that boosts the tax on car rentals to 19 percent. WNYC's Matthew Schuerman has more.

REPORTER: A mid-sized rental at Speedy's in Park Slope Brooklyn will cost you $349 for the long weekend. Plus another $70 for the tax alone. Manager Mark Gold says he's sold out. But he adds that for the past month, when customers have returned their cars and seen the final bill, they've sworn they won't rent again.

GOLD: People are complaining about it, why it's so high. They can't understand it. It was high until now, and now it only got even higher.

REPORTER: Nationwide, however, Enterprise Rent-a-car is anticipating a double digit increase in its business this weekend compared to last year, largely because gas prices have fallen.


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