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Statement in Response to Governor Spitzer's Commission of Property Tax Relief
January 23, 2008
We welcome the focused attention and increased dialogue on property taxes and look forward to working with New York State’s Commission on Property Tax Relief and State leaders to develop solutions that support a reduction in property tax growth and invigorate our local economies.
Counties outside New York City collect $4.3 billion in property taxes each year. These public dollars are used to pay for programs devised at the State or federal level and delivered locally. Decisions made in Albany have a direct correlation to property taxes, and we need to look no further than the Governor’s 2008-09 Executive State Budget proposal released yesterday for evidence.
The Executive Budget proposes major cost shifts to counties, highlighted by two significant changes in state policy that will require counties and the City of New York to pay an increased share of welfare benefits and the full cost of local youth detention facilities. In total, these cost shifts will provide an estimated $76 million in State budget savings in the first year.
Therefore, while we welcome the creation of this new Commission, we must begin by recognizing how decisions made in the State capital play a role in our county budgets and in New Yorker’s property tax bills each year.
Next week, close to 1,000 county officials will convene in Albany at our 2008 Legislative Conference, where we look forward to discussing both this commission and the impact the proposed state budget will have on counties and our property taxpayers.
The New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), founded in 1925, is a bi-partisan municipal association representing the 62 counties of New York State. NYSAC is the only statewide association representing the interests of nearly 5,000 elected and appointed officials, including county executives, legislators, supervisors, administrators, commissioners and other employees who deliver essential services to the public.
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