Ken’s top priority since taking office has been property tax relief — Rockland County has some of the highest property taxes in the nation. This financial burden is forcing middle class families and seniors out of their homes and driving businesses to other states. Over the past eight years, property taxes in Rockland County have grown at more than double the rate of wages. These kinds of increases are simply unsustainable.

Ken sponsored a property tax cap which will limit the increase of property taxes to under 2 percent each year (Ch. 97 of 2011). This law will help families and seniors on fixed incomes stay in their homes and will attract new businesses to Rockland County.

The property tax cap asks local governments to cut costs and maximize efficiency to keep their budgets as low as possible. Ken recognizes that we need to help municipalities operate in a more cost effective manner by eliminating state mandates. The tax cap law provides mandate relief by:

• Creating the mandate relief council, which will give school districts and local governments a say in eliminating burdensome mandates; and

• Including measures that will save local governments over $126 million annually.

Ken has also introduced several pieces of legislation that will assist local governments and school districts in cutting costs.

• A.5367 - Cuts down on Medicaid fraud by ensuring a person’s eligibility through a thorough check of their assets.

• A.8234 - Provides mandate relief for rising Medicaid costs to counties. This legislation would place a 2 percent cap on the increase of local government Medicaid costs, aligning the local Medicaid cap with the proposed 2 percent property tax cap.

• A.6079 - Allows municipalities to cooperatively provide services and administer municipal employee benefits.

This year the Legislature worked together to pass an on-time budget closing a deficit of over $10 billion, while reducing spending and not raising taxes. This budget also invests in job creation, energy, seniors and economic revitalization.

The people’s trust must be restored in government. Ken sponsored legislation that will make government more open and accountable (A.8301). This sweeping reform will:

• Create an independent Joint Commission on Public Ethics with broad powers to investigate any misconduct;

• Require public officials with outside employment to disclose the names of clients with business before the state to eliminate any conflict of interest; and

• Strip pensions from public officials who are convicted of violating the public’s trust.

Ken has sponsored a number of bills this legislative session. Below are some important bills that recently became law:

Making roadways safer – strengthens the ban on texting while driving (Ch. 109 of 2011).

Helping small business – gives small business greater access to capital in an effort to create jobs and better New York’s business climate (Ch. 103 of 2011).

Protecting vulnerable adults – similar to the Amber Alert; will give peace of mind to families of vulnerable adults, if they suddenly go missing (Ch. 222 of 2011).