Assembly Needs to Pass a Property Tax Cap
Assemblyman Jim Conte called on the leadership of the New York City dominated Assembly Majority conference to bring the governor’s property tax cap bill to the floor of the Assembly for a vote. The governor’s bill to cap property tax increases at 2 percent was passed earlier this year in the Senate and has broad public support.
In fact, a recent Siena College poll showed that property taxes were rated the top statewide concern among Empire State residents.
“With the state budget enacted and school budget votes looming in the near future, now is the time to enact a property tax cap to provide needed relief to Long Island homeowners,” said Conte. “For years, Long Islanders have seen the tax bills for their homes skyrocket with little long-term relief coming from Albany. By capping property taxes, lawmakers can take the first step toward addressing this urgent matter and begin the task of reducing unfunded mandates that are the root cause of these exorbitant property tax bills.”
Conte argued that a property tax cap is the first step toward providing Long Island homeowners with much-needed relief and noted that when Massachusetts instituted its tax cap in 1980 that state’s property taxes were among the nation’s highest. Today, the Bay State’s property taxes are significantly lower.
“A tax cap is the first step at lowering Long Island’s out-of-control property taxes, said Conte. “By combining a tax cap with unfunded state mandate relief, lawmakers can transform the state’s tax structure while finally providing real and lasting relief from our region’s burdensome property taxes.”
