Property Tax Reform Proposal Endorsed By Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone
New York,NY – March 24, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced support from more than 225 local elected officials for his plan to cut property taxes.
“Property taxes are one of the single greatest financial burdens for New Yorkers, and we can no longer allow our reputation as the tax capital of the nation hurt our homeowners,” Governor Cuomo said. “Just as we have worked to right size state government and bring our finances under control, local governments must continue to do the same. Our property tax reform agenda delivers more than $1 billion in tax relief while also encouraging local governments to address the crushing weight of the bureaucracy by working together to share services. Support for our approach is growing every day, and I commend the local leaders and countless New Yorkers who have voiced their support by calling on the legislature to make property tax reform a reality.”
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said, “In the last three years, Governor Cuomo has proved to be a committed partner to Suffolk County. He recognizes that high property taxes remain a high burden on our homeowners and that we need to continue to attract new businesses to our region. His State of the State agenda will address just that and continue to push New York on a path to economic growth. From tax relief to exciting proposals for our education system to rebuilding our communities after Sandy, the Governor’s agenda for this year is full of promising initiatives. I applaud his vision and offer any support to push it forward.”
Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory said, “I applaud Governor Cuomo’s proposal to freeze property taxes for two years. A property tax freeze will provide substantial tax savings for state residents and will act as a powerful tool to attract new business to the state and create jobs. The Suffolk County Legislature understands the vital importance of lessening the property tax burden and that is why we have not raised general fund property taxes or have decreased general fund property taxes in Suffolk County for the last 11 years.”
The Governor’s plan would freeze property taxes for two years in communities where the local government also takes steps to consolidate and share services, and would provide relief based on an individual homeowner’s ability to pay. During year two of the Governor’s freeze proposal, nearly 700,000 Long Island homeowners could benefit, with total savings of as much as $394 million and an average benefit of $565. Under the circuit breaker proposal, approximately 367,700 households will qualify for an average real property personal income tax credit of $755, totaling $278 million in savings to Long Island residents.
In addition to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, the following local leaders have joined the ranks of elected officials from around the State in calling for property tax cuts this year:
FIRST NAME
LAST NAME
TITLE
MUNICIPALITY
Keith
Ahlstrom
Minority Leader
Chautauqua County Legislature
Edwin
Alvarez
Town Council Member
Town of Southeast
Robert
Anderson
Councilmember
City of Niagara Falls
Sarah
Anker
Legislator
Suffolk County Legislature
Tony
Arquiett
Legislator
St. Lawrence County Legislature
Paul
Backus
Board Member
Town of Canton
Barry
Baker
Board Member
Town of Arietta
Dave
Baker
Supervisor
Ontario County Board of Supervisors
Ted
Banta
Supervisor
Town of Cairo
Lorie
Barnum
Supervisor
Town of Irondequoit
Thomas
Barraga
Legislator
Suffolk County Legislature
Phil
Barrett
Supervisor
Town of Clifton Park
Tom
Basile
Councilmember
Town of Stony Point
Art
Bassin
Supervisor
Town of Ancram
Rollin
Beattie
Board Member
Town of Potsdam
Adam
Bello
Supervisor
Town of Irondequoit
Steve
Bellone
County Executive
Suffolk County
Brad
Bender
Councilman
Town of Southampton
Jeffrey
Berkman
Minority Leader
Oranty County Legislature
Vincent
Bono
Chairman
Herkimer County Legislature
Catherine
Borgia
Majority Leader
Westchester County Legislature
George
Borrello
Chairman, Economic Development
Chautauqua County Legislature
Noam
Bramson
Mayor
City of New Rochelle
Jim
Bunstone
Legislator
St. Lawrence County Legislature
Chris
Burdick
Supervisor
Town of Bedford
David
Button
Supervisor
Town of Canton
Rob
Calarco
Majority Leader
Suffolk County Legislator
Isidro
Cancel
Councilmember
Town of Haverstraw
Randy
Casale
Mayor
City of Beacon
Frank
Castiglia
Legislator
Oswego County Legislature
Frank
Catalina
Mayor
City of Peekskill
Tom
Catillaz
Trustee
Village of Saranac Lake
Jason
Chapin
Councilman
Town of New Castle
Carl
Chipman
Supervisor
Town of Rochester
Bonnie
Christian
Mayor
Village of South Nyack
Brett
Christy
Councilman
Town of Pomfret
J. Michael
Cindrich
Mayor
Village of Mount Kisco
Jason
Clark
Legislator
St. Lawrence County Legislature
Drew
Claxton
Councilmember
City of Peekskill
Greg
Cole
School Board Memeber
Silver Creek
Thomas
Constantine
Legislator
Schenectady County Legislature
Billy
Coughlin
Former County Legislator
Chautauqua County
Jose
Cruz
Board Member
Rochester City School Board
Robert
Cullen
Council Member
Town of Southeast
Ed
Day
County Executive
Rockland County
Ed
DeJaneiro
Legislator
Genesee County Legislature
Dave
Denenberg
Legislator
Nassau County Legislature
Carla
DeShaw
Mayor
Village of Canastota
Joe
Destefano
Mayor
City of Middletown
Jack
Diamond
Mayor
City of Glens Falls
Roy
Diamond
Legislator
Montgomery County Legislature
Curlie
Dillard
Legislator
Orange County Legislature
AJ
Dolce
Mayor
City of Dunkirk
Rick
Donah
Trustee
Village of Tupper Lake
Tom
Donnelly
Councilman
Town of Babylon
Randy
Douglas
Chairman
Essex County Board of Supervisors
John
Duchessi
Legislator
Montgomery County Legislature
Daniel
Dwyer
Mayor
City of Rensselaer
Sam
Dyer
Chairman
Clinton County Legislature
Paul
Dyster
Mayor
City of Niagara Falls
Cora
Edwards
Legislator
Sullivan County Legislature
Tracey
Edwards
Councilwoman
Town of Huntington
Charlie
Evangelista
Supervisor
City of Geneva
Malik
Evans
Board Member
Rochester City School Board
Dan
Farfaglia
Legislator
Oswego County Legislature
Paul
Feiner
Supervisor
Town of Greenburgh
Bill
Ferebee
Vice Chairman/ Town Supervisor
Essex County Board of Supervisors/ Town of Keene
Tony
Fiala
Legislator
Broome County Legislature
Goeff
Finn
Supervisor
Town of Stony Point
Mark
Fleming
Legislator
Rensselear County Legislature
Maureen
Fleming
Supervisor
Town of Kent
Bridget
Fleming
Councilwoman
Town of Southampton
Richard
Fontana
Council Member
Buffalo Common Council
Doug
Foster
Trustee
Village of Nyack
Carl
Fulgenzi
Town Council Member
Town of Mount Pleasant
Joseph
Fusco
Mayor
City of Rome
Shayne
Gallo
Mayor
City of Kingston
Vincent
Gamboli
Councilmember
Town of Haverstraw
Larry
Gardiner
Legislator
Greene County Legislature
Phil
Giardino
Board Member
Town of Fine
Norma
Gonslaves
Presiding Officer
Nassau County Legislature
Adelino
Gonzalez
Councilmember
Town of Dunkirk
Jacqueline
Gordon
Councilwoman
Town of Babylon
John
Gould, Sr
Councilmember
Town of Haverstraw
Cindy
Gowiski
Supervisor
Town of Birdsall
Kristin
Grandenetti
Councilwoman
Niagara County Legislature
DuWayne
Gregory
Presiding Officer
Suffolk County Legislature
Peter
Grimm
Minority Leader
Rensselear County Legislature
Alex
Gromack
Supervisor
Town of Clarkstown
Matt
Haag
Councilmember
Rochester City Council
Kara
Hahn
Legislator
Suffolk County Legislature
Wayne
Hall
Mayor
Village Hempstead
Don
Hammond
Trustee
Village of Nyack
Peter
Harckham
Legislator
Westchester County Legislature
Karl
Hax
Mayor
Village of Pulaski
Bob
Hayssen
Chair
Seneca County Board of Supervisors
Mike
Hein
County Executive
Ulster County
Hugh
Hill
Trustee
Village of Malone
Shawn
Hogan
Mayor
City of Hornell
Elizabeth
Hudak
Council Member
Town of Southeast
William “Billy”
Hughes
Supervisor- Hudson- 4th Ward
Columbia County Board of Supervisors
Gary
Hughes
Majority Leader
Schenectady County Legislature
Anthony
Jasenski
Chairman
Schenectady County Legislature
Jude
Jean-Francois
Alderman
City of Middletown
Ken
Jenkins
Legislator
Westchester County Board of Legislators
Barbara
Jeter-Jackson
Minority Leader
Dutchess County Legislature
Todd
Johnson
Supervisor
Town of Hanover
Paul
Johnson
Alderman
City of Middletown
Cindy
Kaleh
Legislator
Monroe County Legislature
Stephen
Keefe
Mayor
Village of Fredonia
Tim
Kelly
Board Member
Town of Pamelia
Warren
Kelly
Trustee
Village of Silver Creek
Judy
Kennedy
Mayor
City of Newburgh
Margaret “Peggy”
King
President
City of Schenectady City Council
Stephanie
Kiyak
Councilwoman
City of Dunkirk
Lynn
Kopka
City Council Member-At Large
Troy City Council
Al
Krupski
Legislator
Suffolk County Legislator
Michael
Kunzwiler
Minority Leader
Oswego County Legislature
Susan
Labuhn
Legislator
Cattaraugus County Legislature
Tom
Latimer
Supervisor
Town of Pierrepont
Tim
Lattimore
Legislator
Cayuga County Legislature
LeeAnn
Lazarony
Mayor
Town of Cassadaga
Larry
Legault
Supervisor
Town of Louisville
Harry
Lennon
Legislator
Greene County Legislature
Kevin
Lennon
Legislator
Greene County Legislature
Timothy
Levison
Trustee
Village of Norwood
William
Lindsay
Legislator
Suffolk County Legislature
Paula
Mahan
Supervisor
Town of Colonie
Joseph
Maiurano
Mayor
City of Norwich
Patricia
Manchester
Supervisor
Town of Fort Covington
Howard
Maneely
Supervisor
Town of Malone
Edward
Mangano
County Executive
Nassau County
Marty
Mannix
Board Member
Town of Plattsburgh
Jack
Marren
Chair
Ontario County Board of Supervisors
Peter
Martin
Supervisor, Saratoga Springs
Saratoga County Board of Supervisors
Tony
Martinez
Deputy Supervisor
Town of Babylon
Joan
Maybury
Supervisor
Town of Mount Pleasant
Colleen
McCabe
Legislator
Broome County Legislature
Gary
McCarthy
Mayor
City of Schenectady
Dan
McCoy
County Executive
Albany County
Ronald
Mcdougall
Mayor
Village of Gouverneur
James
McFaddin
Mayor
Village of Norwood
J. Ryan
McMahon
Chairman
Onondaga County Legislature
Wm Keith
McNall
Legislator
Niagara County Legislature
John
Merwin
Supervisor
Town of Northeast
Mike
Michalski
Councilman
City of Dunkirk
Kevin
Millar
Mayor
Village of Owego
Marjorie
Miller
Supervisor
Town of Middletown
Marc
Molinaro
County Executive
Dutchess County
John
Mootooveren
CouncilMember
City of Schenectady City Council
Gerald
Morrow
Town Supervisor
Town of Chesterfield
Jake
Mulcahey
County Legislator
Oswego County Legislature
Steve
Neuhaus
County Executive
Orange County
Ernie
Odierna
Deputy Supervisor and Councilmember
Town of Mamaroneck
Matthew
Ossenfort
County Executive
Montgomery County
Janet
Otto-Cassada
Mayor
Village ofWaddington
Carla
Palumbo
Councilmember
Rochester City Council
Catherine
Parker
Legislator
Westchester County Legislature
Don
Peck
Legislator
St. Lawrence County
Leesa
Perazzo
City Council Member
City of Schenectady
Leonard
Perfetti
Councilman
Town of Union
Charles
Pernice
Supervisor
Town of Norfolk
Victoria
Perotti
Supervisor
Town of Amenia
Frank
Petrone
Supervisor
Town of Huntington
Howard
Phillips
Supervisor
Town of Haverstraw
Anthony
Picente
County Executive
County of Oneida
Carmen
Pineyro
Supervisor
Village of Freeport
Ellen
Polimeni
Mayor
City of Canadaigua
Randy
Preston
Supervisor
Town of Wilmington
Anthony
Purol
Trustee
Village of Silver Creek
Jonathan
Putney
Chairman
St. Lawrence County Legislature
Tom
Quackenbush
Chairman
Montgomery County Legislature
Clyde
Rabideau
Mayor
Village of Saranac Lake
Cathy
Race
Mayor
Village of Hermon
Daniel
Reynolds
County Legislator
Broome County Legislature
Barbara
Rice
Legislator, Trustee
Franklin County, Village of Saranac Lake
Bill J.
Rivera
Councilman
City of Dunkirk
Tom
Roach
Mayor
City of White Plains
Van
Robinson
Common Council President
City of Syracuse
J. Miguel
Rodrigues
City Council President
Town of Middletown
Rod
Rogers
School Board Memeber
Forestville CSD
Lou
Rosamilia
Mayor
City of Troy
H Bruce
Russell
Supervisor
Town of Bellmont
Laura
Schaefer
Legislator
Nassau County Leg.
Rich
Schaffer
Supervisor
Town of Babylon
Jay
Schneiderman
Deputy Presiding Officer
Suffolk County Legislator
Thomas
Scozzafava
Town Supervisor
Town of Moriah
Vincent
Seeley
Legislator
Greene County Legislature
Dave
Seeley
Town Board Member
Town of Irondequoit
Nancy
Seligson
Supervisor
Town of Mamaroneck
Irena
Skrobach
Councilwoman
Town of Irondequoit
Jim
Smith
Board Member
Town of Canton
A. Max
Smith
Mayor
City of Oneida
Sonde
Somers
Alderwoman
City of Middletown
Hector
Soto
Councilman
Town of Haverstraw
Al
Spain
Supervisor
Town of East Greenbush
Mike
Spano
Mayor
City of Yonkers
William
Spencer
Legislator
Suffolk County Legislature
Reginald
Spinello
Mayor
City Glen Cove
Owen
Steed
Legislator
Niagara County Legislature
Steven
Stern
Legislator
Suffolk County Legislature
Jennifer
Stevenson
Councilmember
City of Ogdensburg
Andy
Stewart
Supervisor
Town of Orangetown
Erin
Sullivan Teta
City Council Member
City of Troy
Stacey
Szukala
Councilmember
City of Dunkirk
Todd
Tancredi
Supervisor
Town of Poughkeepsie
Anna
Throne-Holst
Supervisor
Town of Southampton
Brian
Tobin
Mayor
City of Cortland
Andy
Touma
Councilman
Niagara Falls City Council
Amy
Tressider
County Legislator
Oswego County Legislature
Paul
VanCott
Trustee
Village of Saranac Lake
Dennis
Virtuoso
Legislator
Niagara County Legislature
Rosemarie
Walker
Legislator
Nassau County Legislature
Charles
Walker
Chairman
Niagara Falls City Council
Jean
Walsh
Supervisor
Town of Rosendale
Sean
Walter
Supervisor
Town of Riverhead
Michael
Warren
Supervisor
Town of Marbletown
Van
White
President
Rochester City School Board
Jennifer
White
Mayor
Village of Nyack
Justin
Wilcox
Legislator
Monroe County Legislature
Ed
Williamson
Supervisor
Town of Granby
Alden
Wolfe
Chairman
Rockland County Legislature
Mark
Woods
Treasurer
Town of Dunkirk
JoAnn
Yepsen
Mayor
City of Saratoga Springs
Ted
Young
Mayor
Village of Waterloo
Jason
Zona
Legislator
Niagara County Legislature
Property Tax Freeze
The property tax freeze is a two year proposal that is designed to incentivize local governments to share services and reduce their financial burden on the taxpayer. New Yorkers will be eligible for property tax relief in the first year of the freeze if their local governments stay within the property tax cap. During the second year, the freeze will continue to provide relief to New Yorkers if their local governments remain within the property tax cap and also pursue concrete steps to consolidate, share services, and ultimately reduce costs. When fully implemented, the freeze would result in tax relief of up to $1 billion from local governments and school districts, with an average benefit of $354 for as many as 2.8 million taxpayers.
Circuit Breaker Based on Ability to Pay
Currently as many as two million low- and middle-income New Yorkers pay an effective real property tax rate relative to income that exceeds their income tax rate. The Governor’s circuit breaker proposal would create a progressively distributed tax credit in order to provide relief based on an individual homeowner’s ability to pay. When fully implemented, the circuit breaker would provide approximately two million New Yorkers with an average benefit of $500.
“No Excuses”
Just two weeks ago, the Governor launched the “No Excuses” push to help pass his proposed property tax cuts. The initiative includes a website (http://cutpropertytaxes.ny.gov/), testimonial from elected officials, advocacy groups, and homeowners who are burdened by high tax rates. The Governor is also urging New Yorkers to contact their legislators to make their voices heard. Click here to watch a video marking the start of the “No Excuses” initiative (for TV stations, a high-definition version can be downloaded here).
Contact:
Governor’s Press Office
NYC Press Office: 212.681.4640
Albany Press Office: 518.474.8418
press.office (at) exec.ny (dot) gov
