As the old adage goes, there are few things in life that are certainties, one of which is taxes, especially as New Yorkers. The money crunch seems to be getting worse these days. Families are tightening their belts, reducing spending and finding creative ways to stretch each dollar. New York, as a whole, is in a position where many of the same common-sense money-saving practices employed in our homes should be adopted by politicians to make our state more fiscally viable and less burdensome on taxpayers.
As your assemblyman, I’ve heard time-and-time again that property taxes are rapidly getting out of control. In the past, we’ve used STAR property tax rebates to relieve some of the burden, and some talk about a circuit breaker tied to income, but none of those really address the problem of rising property taxes.
Homeowners in the 117th Assembly District are paying nearly twice the national average in property taxes as a percentage of home value. For example, Fulton, Herkimer and Otsego counties paid on average 2.19 percent, 2.17 percent and 1.47 percent, respectively, over the last five years. Additionally, over a ten-year period from 1999 to 2009, the real property tax rate in our state rose by 80 percent. There is no question that families need relief.
To get at the root of ballooning taxes and change real property taxation, we need to not only cap its growth but eliminate the hundreds of costly unfunded mandates on your local governments that cause rates to rise. Albany would like to ignore that the two are connected; but there is no way around it, they must be addressed together.
I know our counties are trying their best to keep costs down, but literally their hands are tied due to unfettered and uncontrolled unfunded mandates from Albany. The New York State Association of Counties just released a report outlining over 200 mandates and items that, if removed, would create huge savings for county governments and you, the taxpayer. The suggestions range from addressing the inflated rising costs of Medicaid, pensions, and procurement, among many others.
While well intentioned, many of the mandates and directives that trickle down from Albany are overreaching and continually burden already challenged county finances. What once were safety nets for health and assistance to our most vulnerable and needy have grown into catch-all services that are unparalleled in the nation and among private sector benefits.
We need to begin to ask ourselves, is this sustainable for New York? Furthermore, with Governor Cuomo’s proposed $19.8 million in cuts to local government aid, mandates must be lifted in order to keep taxes and costs from rising to unprecedented and crippling levels.
I am among the many who believe we can discover efficiencies that do not detract from the quality of service provided by our local governments. I trust their ability to rightly assess the needs of their residents and to deliver them accordingly.
As always, if you have any questions or comments on property taxes and unfunded mandates or any other state matter, please don’t hesitate to contact me at either my Johnstown office at (518) 762-6486, my Herkimer office at (315) 866-1632, or send an e-mail to butlerm@assembly.state.ny.us.