Governor Cuomo Announces Support from 175 Local Elected Officials in Push to Cut Property Taxes

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Outlines Proposal to Cut Property Taxes and Deliver Relief to Homeowners in Oneida County.

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Albany, NY - March 18, 2014 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced support from 175 local elected officials for his plan to cut property taxes. The Governor also detailed his proposal to cut property taxes and encourage local governments to reduce costs earlier today at Mohawk Valley Community College in Oneida County.
 
“Sky-high property taxes have been driving families and businesses out of Upstate New York for far too long, but this year we have an opportunity to change the dynamic,” Governor Cuomo said. “Thanks to three years of responsible fiscal management, we now have an opportunity to cut property taxes, incentivize local governments to reduce costs, and provide more than $1 billion in real tax relief to millions of New Yorkers. In order for this to happen, the legislature must pass our property tax cut proposal this year. Today we heard from local leaders representing communities across the Mohawk Valley who have taken a stand in support of this goal. I commend them for joining us, and urge all New Yorkers to make their voices heard by calling on the legislature to pass property tax relief this year.”
 
Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said, "We made progress in 2011 with the first-ever property tax cap enacted by Governor Cuomo. I commend him for his unwavering leadership to reduce the tax burden on our families and will work alongside him this year to make certain that we accomplish this."
 
Montgomery County Executive Matt Ossenfort said, “It is encouraging that Governor Cuomo has been able to push property tax relief to the forefront of the agenda in Albany while aggressively addressing the need for consolidation and shared services on the local level. I support the Governor in this effort and am looking forward to working with the new Legislature in Montgomery County as we continue our ongoing efforts to be more efficient and create economic opportunities for County residents.”
 
Chairman Vincent Bono of the Herkimer County Legislature said, “It is important for counties like Herkimer, that in order to move forward and grow we must look at creative ways of consolidation and stream-lining of government services. I support Governor Cuomo's property tax plan as a way to address the issue of burdensome property taxes and consolidation.”
 
Chairman Tom Quackenbush of the Montgomery County Legislature said, "I support and commend Governor Cuomo on his plan for property tax relief and consolidation, which is long overdue. I look forward to working with the Governor and County Executive Matt Ossenfort in giving these municipalities the tools they need to share services and cut taxes."
 
In addition to the individuals who spoke at today’s event in favor of the Governor’s push for property tax relief, the following local leaders have joined the ranks of hundreds of other 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

Tony

Arquiett

Legislator

St. Lawrence County Legislature

Paul

Backus

Board Member

Town of Canton

Barry

Baker

Board Member

Town of Arietta

Ted

Banta

Supervisor

Town of Cairo

Rollin

Beattie

Board Member

Town of Potsdam

Adam

Bello

Supervisor

Town of Irondequoit

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

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

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

Curlie

Dillard

Legislator

Orange County Legislature

AJ

Dolce

Mayor

City of Dunkirk

Randy

Douglas

Chairman

Essex County Board of Supervisors

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

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

Mark

Fleming

Legislator

Rensselear County Legislature

Maureen

Fleming

Supervisor

Town of Kent

Richard

Fontana

Council Member

Buffalo Common Council

Doug

Foster

Trustee

Village of Nyack

Carl

Fulgenzi

Town Council Member

Town of Mount Pleasant

Shayne

Gallo

Mayor

City of Kingston

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

Kristin

Grandenetti

Councilwoman

Niagara County Legislature

DuWayne

Gregory

Presiding Officer

Suffolk County Legislature

Peter

Grimm

Minority Leader

Rensselear County Legislature

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

Ken

Jenkins

Legislator

Westchester County Board of Legislators

Barbara

Jeter-Jackson

Minority Leader

Dutchess County Legislature

Todd

Johnson

Supervisor

Town of Hanover

Billy

Jones

Chairman

Franklin County Legislature

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

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

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

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

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

Nick

Piccolo

Mayor

Village of Silver Creek

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

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

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.

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

Jim

Smith

Board Member

Town of Canton

A. Max

Smith

Mayor

City of Oneida

Mike

Spano

Mayor

City of Yonkers

William

Spencer

Legislator

Suffolk County Legislature

Reginald

Spinello

Mayor

City Glen Cove

Jennifer

Stevenson

Councilmember

City of Ogdensburg

Erin

Sullivan Teta

City Council Member

City of Troy

Stacey

Szukala

Councilmember

City of Dunkirk

Todd

Tancredi

Supervisor

Town of Poughkeepsie

Brian

Tobin

Mayor

City of Cortland

Amy

Tressider

County Legislator

Oswego County Legislature

Paul

VanCott

Trustee

Village of Saranac Lake

Rosemarie

Walker

Legislator

Nassau County Legislature

Jean

Walsh

Supervisor

Town of Rosendale

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

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

 

 
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, approximately 132,500 Mohawk Valley homeowners could save as much as $20 million, with an average benefit of $150. Under the circuit breaker proposal, approximately 76,000 households will qualify for an average real property personal income tax credit of $315, totaling $24 million in savings to Mohawk Valley residents.
 
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, 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).