“Property-tax relief falters as cap lacks Assembly support - From the Poughkeepsie Journal” plus 2 more

Property-tax relief falters as cap lacks Assembly support - From the Poughkeepsie Journal
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Property-tax relief falters as cap lacks Assembly support - From the Poughkeepsie Journal

Posted: 05 Aug 2010 04:27 AM PDT

ALBANY — The state Legislature left the capital this week without a deal to lower the property-tax burden on New Yorkers, a key issue heading into the state elections in the fall.

The state Senate passed a property-tax cap 52-7 with bipartisan support Tuesday, a measure backed by Gov. David Paterson, but it faces an uphill fight in the Assembly, where Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, D-Manhattan, has panned the proposal.

Paterson vowed to call a special session in October — in the middle of the campaign season — to put pressure on the Assembly to take up a tax cap. The legislation would limit the growth in property taxes to 4 percent a year or 120 percent of the inflation rate, whichever is lower.

"Yes, it is an election year, but the voters deserve to know where Albany stands on property taxes," Paterson said.

Silver has argued providing more school aid from the state would lead to lower taxes on the local level. He said there isn't enough support among Assembly Democrats to bring the issue to the floor for a vote.

In New York, property-tax bills are 79 percent above the national average. Between 1995 and 2005, property-tax levies grew 60 percent, the state Comptroller's Office has found.

Dutchess County property owners pay the 38th-highest percentage of income to property taxes in the nation, according to Census Bureau data. Ulster County is not far behind, ranking 39th in the nation for the percentage of income paid to property taxes.

Lowering the state's property taxes has become a main issue in statewide elections this year because the suburbs and upstate — where the tax burden is felt the most — will be key battleground areas. All statewide seats and all 212 legislative seats will be on the November ballot.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic nominee for governor, has called for a tax cap, as have his Republican opponents.

Cuomo said the Assembly should act on a tax cap.

"I think it was a lost opportunity," Cuomo said. "I think there was an opportunity for this state to make a major reform."

Jay Townsend, a Republican running against Sen. Charles Schumer, a Democrat, was in Albany on Wednesday calling for a property-tax cap.

Meanwhile, in the race to replace Cuomo as attorney general, Democratic candidate Sean Coffey assailed his primary opponent, state Sen. Eric Schneiderman, D-Manhattan, for voting against the tax cap.

Journal Albany bureau staff writer Nick Reisman and Democrat and Chronicle staff writer Patti Singer contributed to this report. Reach Joseph Spector at JSPECTOR@Gannett.com.

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University Park may raise property tax rate for first time in 16 years

Posted: 05 Aug 2010 12:34 AM PDT