While I welcome the tone of humility in the Governor’s second State of the State Address, I fear his conciliatory words carry a hefty price tag.
Former Governor Mario Cuomo was fond of saying that “you campaign in poetry, but you govern in prose.” Today we heard some lofty rhetoric, but we don’t need more words – we need a healthy dose of reality: overtaxed, overregulated, overburdened New Yorkers can’t afford the billions in new government spending the Governor outlined in his speech today.
The Governor was correct in saying “economic storm clouds are gathering” – they are. It’s a “perfect storm” of high taxes, gas prices and tolls that threatens to swamp New Yorkers who are already working harder and longer, just to keep their heads above water.
Although I commend the Governor for admitting that property taxes are at a crisis level in New York State, I believe he should have gone further than just calling for a commission on enacting a property tax cap. Quite frankly, I don't think I've seen a punting unit called out that quickly since Super Bowl XXV.
With all due respect to the Governor, I believe this issue has already been “commissioned to death.” We already know what the problem is – a crippling, crushing property tax burden that hurts most those who can afford it the least. We can’t allow a property tax cap to become bogged down in a commission. New Yorkers, literally, can’t afford to wait any longer.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Tax Cap Press Conference Video
Here's a video from a press conference on the tax cap that I had a short while ago just before the Governor's State of the State Address.
Fast Track the Property Tax Cap
A little over an hour from now, Governor Eliot Spitzer will be giving his second State of the State Address to the people of New York. From some of the early glimpses I have seen, it appears that the Governor is ready to address our state’s property tax crisis, and that is welcome news for overtaxed, overburdened New Yorkers who have been demanding real relief.
I urge the Governor to push for implementation of the property tax cap and not allow it to become mired in further study. We can ensure that the appropriate stakeholders – most importantly, the collective voices of the more than 18 million New Yorkers we represent – are fully heard and involved in this effort by putting a property tax cap on a ‘fast track,’ and not the back burner. New York needs a property tax cap and we need it now. Accordingly, I’m asking the Governor to move enactment of a property tax cap to the top of this year’s legislative agenda and work in bi-partisan partnership with our Conference to achieve this critical goal.
Don't Play These Numbers
Renting out the Lottery sounds like a bad bet to me. The Governor should not be pitting higher education money against K-12 funding and skimming funds that should go toward lowering school district costs and the burden on property taxpayers.
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=653614&category=FRONTPG&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=1/9/2008
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=653614&category=FRONTPG&BCCode=HOME&newsdate=1/9/2008
Utica Observer-Dispatch Says, "Our Leaders in Albany Need to Lead"
Here's an excerpt:
"Give New Yorkers relief from property taxes. Last week, Assembly Republican Leader James Tedisco, R-Schenectady-Saratoga, said that property taxes have reached crisis levels, and if left unchecked, will continue contributing to New York’s decline. Tedisco and others suggest a cap on property taxes, just as states like Massachusetts have successfully done."
For the rest of the editorial, please click below:
http://www.uticaod.com/viewpoints/x1925656705
"Give New Yorkers relief from property taxes. Last week, Assembly Republican Leader James Tedisco, R-Schenectady-Saratoga, said that property taxes have reached crisis levels, and if left unchecked, will continue contributing to New York’s decline. Tedisco and others suggest a cap on property taxes, just as states like Massachusetts have successfully done."
For the rest of the editorial, please click below:
http://www.uticaod.com/viewpoints/x1925656705
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Hey Governor: Either Call for a Property Tax Cap Tomorrow or Stay in Manhattan
In light of the fact that New Yorkers pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation, Governor Eliot Spitzer should either call for a property tax cap in his State of the State Address tomorrow or stay in Manhattan.
Some early reports have indicated that Governor Spitzer may call for a ‘commission’ to ‘study’ the issue of enacting a property tax cap for New York State. If that is what the Governor plans on saying in his State of the State Address tomorrow then, frankly, he should just stay home. We don’t need another commission, study, report, or task force – we already know what the problem is: a crushing property tax burden that’s driving people and businesses from our state.
Ask any homeowner, senior citizen, farmer or small business owner and they will tell you: property taxes have reached a crisis level in New York State. If the Governor doesn’t recognize this, then he’s out of touch with the vast majority of New Yorkers. Overtaxed families don’t need the Governor to be a steamroller, they need him to be a rescue vehicle.
We can join 14 other states, states such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota and West Virginia that have already successfully capped property taxes.
I believe this is the number one issue facing our state. Unless Governor Spitzer comes out in support of a property tax cap and actually commits himself to passing it, then I think this session – and possibly his governorship – will be characterized as a failure.
Our Conference has already introduced legislation – Assembly Bill A.8775 – the ‘New York State Property Taxpayers Protection Act’ to address this crisis. It’s been estimated that homeowners and businesses would realize hundreds of millions in savings by limiting the growth of school property tax levies. In fact, if our property tax cap had already been in place, New Yorkers would have realized a savings of more than $2.8 billion over two years. That is real relief that homeowners desperately need.
Governor Spitzer can take a big step toward helping us solve New York’s property tax crisis by joining our Conference in making enactment of a property tax cap the top legislative priority this session. Otherwise, it will be more of the same and he should just stay home.
Some early reports have indicated that Governor Spitzer may call for a ‘commission’ to ‘study’ the issue of enacting a property tax cap for New York State. If that is what the Governor plans on saying in his State of the State Address tomorrow then, frankly, he should just stay home. We don’t need another commission, study, report, or task force – we already know what the problem is: a crushing property tax burden that’s driving people and businesses from our state.
Ask any homeowner, senior citizen, farmer or small business owner and they will tell you: property taxes have reached a crisis level in New York State. If the Governor doesn’t recognize this, then he’s out of touch with the vast majority of New Yorkers. Overtaxed families don’t need the Governor to be a steamroller, they need him to be a rescue vehicle.
We can join 14 other states, states such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Dakota and West Virginia that have already successfully capped property taxes.
I believe this is the number one issue facing our state. Unless Governor Spitzer comes out in support of a property tax cap and actually commits himself to passing it, then I think this session – and possibly his governorship – will be characterized as a failure.
Our Conference has already introduced legislation – Assembly Bill A.8775 – the ‘New York State Property Taxpayers Protection Act’ to address this crisis. It’s been estimated that homeowners and businesses would realize hundreds of millions in savings by limiting the growth of school property tax levies. In fact, if our property tax cap had already been in place, New Yorkers would have realized a savings of more than $2.8 billion over two years. That is real relief that homeowners desperately need.
Governor Spitzer can take a big step toward helping us solve New York’s property tax crisis by joining our Conference in making enactment of a property tax cap the top legislative priority this session. Otherwise, it will be more of the same and he should just stay home.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Gov. Spitzer's State of the State Must Call For Property Tax Cap
In advance of Governor Spitzer’s second State of the State Address, there are three legislative priorities that, in my opinion, must be included in the Governor’s upcoming speech if the Governor is to recapture the mantle of reform that swept him into office.
During his State of the State Address last year, Governor Spitzer spoke of “a journey of New Yorkers in need of hope and in search of change.” The Governor was right – New Yorkers desperately want change. However, instead of change, last year saw more of the same political acrimony and gridlock that had come to define state government. Now is the time to get New York back on track and make the reform agenda – an agenda that millions of New Yorkers thought they were getting when they went to the polls back in 2006 – a reality.
New York can turn the page on a year of squandered opportunities and unrealized promises if the Governor’s address focuses on what I believe are the top three issues needing to be resolved to secure New York’s future prosperity: a property tax cap, no new tax increases and a real plan for fixing the Upstate economy.
First and foremost, the Governor needs to call for a property tax cap. Property taxes have reached crisis levels in New York State. Organization after organization – from the Public Policy Institute, to the Empire Center, to the Citizens Budget Commission – agree that property taxes in our state have spiraled out of control and, if left unchecked, will continue contributing to New York’s decline. The answer is to cap property taxes, just as states like Massachusetts have successfully done. Anything less than a property tax cap is a half-hearted band-aid that will only serve to slow, not stop, the hemorrhaging of our people, jobs and tax base.
Secondly, Governor Spitzer needs to honor his promise of no new taxes. And the Governor should be crystal clear in understanding whether it’s called a ‘revenue enhancer,’ ‘loophole closure,’ fee, surcharge or toll, any time the state government reaches into taxpayers’ pockets and takes more of their hard-earned money, it’s a tax increase, plain and simple. New Yorkers can’t afford any more tax increases, regardless of what they’re called or how they’re described.
Third, the Governor should address his failure to revitalize an Upstate economy that remains mired in a quicksand of job loss, high-energy prices and residential flight. What’s most troubling is that it’s been almost a year and we’re still waiting for coherent, comprehensive action from this Governor to jumpstart Upstate and reverse decades of economic decline. The Governor’s address should outline – in detail – his plan to renew Upstate.
Unless the Governor delivers substantive proposals to deal with each of these priorities in his forthcoming speech, then I don’t see how real change will be achieved. By any measure, if these three issues aren’t addressed, then I think the Governor’s speech will have been a missed opportunity, ultimately seen as more of the same empty rhetoric New Yorkers are tired of hearing. We all know what the problems are – now, more than ever, the question is whether Governor Spitzer will master this moment and show he has the political will to solve them.
During his State of the State Address last year, Governor Spitzer spoke of “a journey of New Yorkers in need of hope and in search of change.” The Governor was right – New Yorkers desperately want change. However, instead of change, last year saw more of the same political acrimony and gridlock that had come to define state government. Now is the time to get New York back on track and make the reform agenda – an agenda that millions of New Yorkers thought they were getting when they went to the polls back in 2006 – a reality.
New York can turn the page on a year of squandered opportunities and unrealized promises if the Governor’s address focuses on what I believe are the top three issues needing to be resolved to secure New York’s future prosperity: a property tax cap, no new tax increases and a real plan for fixing the Upstate economy.
First and foremost, the Governor needs to call for a property tax cap. Property taxes have reached crisis levels in New York State. Organization after organization – from the Public Policy Institute, to the Empire Center, to the Citizens Budget Commission – agree that property taxes in our state have spiraled out of control and, if left unchecked, will continue contributing to New York’s decline. The answer is to cap property taxes, just as states like Massachusetts have successfully done. Anything less than a property tax cap is a half-hearted band-aid that will only serve to slow, not stop, the hemorrhaging of our people, jobs and tax base.
Secondly, Governor Spitzer needs to honor his promise of no new taxes. And the Governor should be crystal clear in understanding whether it’s called a ‘revenue enhancer,’ ‘loophole closure,’ fee, surcharge or toll, any time the state government reaches into taxpayers’ pockets and takes more of their hard-earned money, it’s a tax increase, plain and simple. New Yorkers can’t afford any more tax increases, regardless of what they’re called or how they’re described.
Third, the Governor should address his failure to revitalize an Upstate economy that remains mired in a quicksand of job loss, high-energy prices and residential flight. What’s most troubling is that it’s been almost a year and we’re still waiting for coherent, comprehensive action from this Governor to jumpstart Upstate and reverse decades of economic decline. The Governor’s address should outline – in detail – his plan to renew Upstate.
Unless the Governor delivers substantive proposals to deal with each of these priorities in his forthcoming speech, then I don’t see how real change will be achieved. By any measure, if these three issues aren’t addressed, then I think the Governor’s speech will have been a missed opportunity, ultimately seen as more of the same empty rhetoric New Yorkers are tired of hearing. We all know what the problems are – now, more than ever, the question is whether Governor Spitzer will master this moment and show he has the political will to solve them.
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