Gov. Andrew Cuomo blasted the Republican tax plan and called upon locals to take action in a speech on Thursday, while highlighting a three-pronged “fairness campaign” to try fighting the law.
During the speech, which took place at the Teamsters Local 282 headquarters in Lake Success, Cuomo also characterized the legislation as double taxation directly aimed at New York and other Democratic blue states.
“Washington has launched a calculated and direct assault aimed at the very heart of New York and we have two options – stand where were are or get out of the way,” Cuomo said. “With the Tax Fairness for New York campaign, we are ramping up our efforts to mitigate the impacts of this plan, examining every possibility to combat this devastating legislation and doing everything we can to protect the rights and wallets of hardworking New Yorkers.”
The tax law caps state and local tax deductions for federal tax returns at $10,000, which Cuomo and others have argued could disproportionately affect Long Island residents.
Fully eliminating the “SALT” deduction would cost state residents $14.3 billion, a state report from the Department of Tax and Finance suggests. The Governor’s Office, meanwhile, says the law would affect 530,000 Long Island taxpayers – more than a third of all tax filers – and raise their taxes an average of $6,400.
“To make it even worse, we already send more to the federal government than we get back than any other state in the United States of America,” Cuomo said. “We already send $48 billion more than we get back.”
“The 12 states that get penalized by this law – all democratic states, all states that Trump lost,” Cuomo added. “Maybe that’s a great coincidence, but I don’t believe it was that great a coincidence.”
Cuomo’s plans include acting in a multi-state coalition to sue the federal government, push for repealing and replacing the law, and restructuring state tax policy to establish a payroll-based taxation system and state-operated charitable funds to receive tax credits.
The state also created a website which includes relevant proposals, how a representative voted, reports and other information.
