Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed tax cap bill will cause local governments to lose some local control and hinder their ability to fiscally govern, according to the Village of Great Neck Plaza Board of Trustees.
The trustees denounced the tax plan last in a resolution unanimously adopted Feb. 15 at a regular board meeting, which urged state Assembly officials to “do all that they can do to assist us in reducing costs and to liberate municipalities and school districts from state mandates and to develop a proper bill on tax growth.”
The resolution will be forwarded to state Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, D-Great Neck, who opposes Cuomo’s plan to cap property taxes.
“We urge that [Shimel] work with fellow lawmakers to pass something that’s reasonable and doable” said Village of Great Neck Mayor Jean Celender.
New Yorkers need relief from high property taxes, but elected governing bodies should be held responsible to adopt budgets and maintain property taxes at the lowest increases reasonably feasible, according to the resolution.
Cuomo’s plan, which applies to schools and other local governments outside New York City, would cap property taxes at 2 percent, or the inflation rate, whichever is lower. Emergency expenses could be excluded by governing bodies.
“There’s lots of things that we find commendable to the governor” said Celender while introducing the resolution at village hall. “A property tax cap, without giving us relief on unfunded mandates, is not fair.”
Cuomo’s bill passed in the Senate on Jan. 31, the day before his budget was released. The Assembly is unlikely to vote on the plan until after the budget is approved later this year.
A public hearing on the tax cap is scheduled for March 1 in Albany.
Celender said mandate relief should be included in whatever final legislation gets adopted by the Assembly.
“We object to a property tax cap because it cannot be successful without significant mandate relief,” stated the resolution.
