Assemblywoman Sandy Galef Hosts Nassau County Exec Tom Suozzi to Discuss the Final Report from the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief

Tax Cap Continues to Be Primary Recommendation coupled with School Mandate Relief

January 9, 2009

Assemblywoman Sandy Galef invites the public to attend a follow-up conversation with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi about property tax relief on Thursday, January 22, 2009, 7-9pm at Croton Village Hall, Croton Municipal Building, 1 Van Wyck, Croton-on-Hudson. Suozzi is Chairman of the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief. The Commission was charged with finding the root causes of New York State’s very high and rapidly escalating property taxes, which are verging on unaffordable throughout the state, and recommending ways to reduce the burden of these taxes.

“The Commission was given a very challenging task,” says Galef. “They were extremely thorough, holding hearings and soliciting feedback throughout the state. I believe they are on target with their recommendations. Now, the hard work is getting support within the Legislature and from the public to move forward with these recommendations. I look forward to the public joining me at this forum for a lively discussion and to get a better understanding of the thinking behind the recommendations.”

In June, the Commission released preliminary findings, which recommended a property tax cap as the initial step the state needed to take to rein in taxes. Other recommendations included reducing or eliminating certain state mandates which impact schools, and a circuit breaker tax relief program to replace the NYS STAR Rebate Program. The final report focuses more on the need to offer mandate relief and details ways to reduce costs for Special Education. According to Suozzi, “Our school districts also need to reduce spending, but to do so the State must enact the historically difficult to achieve changes in state laws and mandates.”

There will be an opportunity for audience questions.

For more information and/or directions, contact the Assemblywoman’s office at (914) 941-1111 or e-mail Dana Levenberg at levenbergd@assembly.state.ny.us.

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