Counties Call On State To Keep Local Taxes Local

With so much federal money in this year's State Budget, why are local taxes still being raided to fund state programs? 

 

In the past three years, the state has taken more than $677 million in local sales taxes to put in the state's general fund—equivalent to $618,000 per day over the last three years. To localize this impact, the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC) has included a chart that details how much local funding has been diverted from being invested locally.



Download PDF of data by county.

“These are local taxpayer dollars that should be used for meals on wheels, veterans' services, child care, parks, and 9-1-1 services; not used to plug holes in the state's financial plan,” said NYSAC President Martha Sauerbrey, Tioga County Chairwoman. Sauerbrey also penned an OP-ED opposing the state's diversion of local tax dollars. Download the Op-Ed.
 
With the start of the state's fiscal year now just two days away, NYSAC President Sauerbrey and leaders from all 62 counties today call on Governor Hochul and members of the State Assembly and Senate to end the practice of diverting local sales taxes out of their communities and into state coffers.

Earlier this month, the NYSAC Board of Directors adopted a resolution asking the state to end this practice.
 
“Local tax revenue should stay in the community where it is collected,” said Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, president of the NYS County Executives Association. “This is money that is meant to be reinvested in programs that support the people who pay those taxes in their own communities, not footing the bill for state and federal responsibilities.”
 
NYSAC also published 10 Reasons Why Local Taxes Should State Local.
 
“New York Senator Chuck Schumer championed federal funding to help New York and other states to get back to normal after the economic shock of the COVID pandemic. Now it's time to get back to normal in this state, and that means returning to responsible budgeting that keeps local tax revenue in local communities,” said NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario.
 
Acquario noted that counties were grateful to Governor Hochul for her proposal to eliminate the diversion of local sales taxes to support the AIM program. “Now county leaders are asking that the remaining diversion be allowed to sunset on March 31, 2022, as originally proposed in 2020. 
 
To learn more about county priorities for the SFY 2023 State Budget, visit nysac.org/nysbudget.
 

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Media Contact: Mark LaVigne | MLavigne@nysac.org | 518-465-1473 x206