Commuters got closer Monday to a larger tax break from Congress on their MetroCard, officials said.
The Senate Finance Committee approved a benefit that would let riders shield up to $250 a month from taxes for transit expenses.
Riders had a tax break of $230 between 2009 and 2013, but it expired last December and dropped to $130 a month.
Sen. Charles Schumer introduced a provision in part of a larger tax break bill to bring it up to $250 for 2015 and 2016, officials said.
“With commuting costs on the rise, many New Yorkers pay hundreds of dollars a month traveling to work alone,” he said in a statement.
“The mass transit benefit– used by New Yorkers more than anyone else in the country — passage out of the Senate Finance Committee is a major step toward keeping more money in commuters’ pockets and giving them some much-needed relief as they work to make ends meet.”
Currently, drivers get a $250 tax break a month for parking expenses.
The bill will now have to pass the full Senate, officials added.
The MTA raised the price of the MetroCard from $2.50 to $2.75 this year. A monthly went from $112 to $116.50.
