TAX RELIEF FOR NEW YORKERS

The end of the legislative session is fast approaching. There’s only one full week left before lawmakers leave for summer vacation. Now is the time to take action and cap property taxes at 4 percent or the rate of inflation – whichever is lower.

I don’t have to tell you that New Yorkers pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation. The Governor is on board. Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver have said they’re ready to do it.

PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

“By recommending the adoption of a real property tax cap, the State Commission on Property Tax Relief has confirmed what countless overburdened homeowners, small businesses and family farmers have known for years: property taxes in New York have reached a crisis level. Our state’s dubious distinction of having some of the highest property taxes in the nation is proof positive that these crushing burdens represent the single biggest threat to the quality of life for New York homeowners.

Our Assembly Republican Conference realized this years ago – and has been calling for a real property tax cap ever since. Some of the Commission’s recommendations mirror our ‘New York State Property Taxpayer Protection Act’ – Assembly Bill A.8775-A. Our initiative should serve as an effective starting point for any serious and substantive discussions on how our state can make achieving a real property tax cap a reality. Failure to enact a property tax cap before our Legislative session concludes on June 23 would send a terrible message to overtaxed homeowners being crushed in a painful ‘middle class squeeze’ of high property taxes, Thruway tolls, food and fuel costs.

I commend Governor Paterson and Commission Chairman Suozzi for their political courage in supporting a property tax cap. Our entire Conference will work with them in a bi-partisan, cooperative manner to achieve adoption of a much-needed, and long overdue, real property tax cap.”

"It's a Wonderful Life as Assembly Republican Leader": My Rebuttal at the 108th Annual LCA Press Show

CARE - CHILD ASSAULT REFORM ACT

The tragic shooting death of a ten year-old in the City of Albany sent shockwaves throughout the Capital Region. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family in this difficult and painful time.

I was saddened after learning the little girl was riding her bike in front of her home when she was hit by a what police believe was a stray bullet. This type of crime isn’t limited to the city of Albany. There’s too much violence affecting our children everywhere.

In light of this tragedy, I along with Assembly Republicans and local law enforcement are supporting a new initiative called CARE – CHILD ASSAULT REFORM ACT.

Protecting children is our number one priority. We have an obligation to make sure they’re safe in our streets. CARE would increase penalties on criminals who kill or injure children under 12 years old. I believe this measure would send a strong message to would-be criminals that they will face greater punishment should they harm or kill a child.

Gas Tax Plan

PLEASE USE THE FORM ON THE LEFT AND SIGN UP TODAY AND JOIN THE FIGHT ON THE GAS TAX. OR DOWNLOAD THE PETITION HERE

A SUMMER HOLIDAY FROM HIGH GAS PRICES

As gas prices continue climbing to record highs with no end in sight, I and the Assembly Republican Conference want to relieve some of the pain at the pump by instituting a “summer holiday” from state gas taxes. Motorists and small businesses are certainly feeling the pinch.

Our summer gas tax holiday would, on average, provide a nearly .30-cent savings per gallon of gasoline and a .35-cent savings per gallon of diesel fuel.

Record high gas prices are putting a serious strain on motorists’ wallets, family budgets and small business bottom lines. High gas prices are a big part of the painful ‘middle class squeeze’ New Yorkers are enduring. New York’s overtaxed, overburdened, overregulated motorists deserve a holiday from high gas taxes, especially during the summertime months when more families traditionally take to the roadways.

High gas prices have a negative multiplier effect, driving up the cost of everyday goods as small businesses bear the price of higher fuel costs and ultimately pass it onto consumers. The fastest way to put the brakes on rising fuel, food and other commodity costs is by instituting a much-needed holiday from state fuel taxes for motorists and small businesses.

I and the Assembly Republican Conference also support the proposal recently put forth by Republican Presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) that would institute a summertime fuel tax holiday by suspending federal gas taxes. McCain’s “Gas Tax Holiday” amendment would temporarily shelve the 18.4-cent per gallon Federal gas tax between Memorial Day and Labor Day 2008.

It is simple economics: when people have to spend more on basic necessities like fuel and food, they have less to spend elsewhere, causing a further drag on an economy already mired in recession. By removing federal and state taxes on a gallon of gas, we can provide some measure of short-term relief that motorists and small businesses have been calling for. My Republican colleagues and I applaud Senator McCain for being the presidential candidate who was first in addressing this pressing issue.

Tax Freedom Day

I and the Assembly Republican Conference today observed New York's "Tax Freedom Day," by calling for passage of several targeted legislative initiatives which would reduce the state's crushing tax burden on families.

"Tax Freedom Day" refers to the amount of days individuals must work to earn enough money to pay their combined tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels. According to the independent, non-partisan Tax Foundation, New York's 2008 Tax Freedom Day is May 5, the third-highest in the nation. Only New Jersey (May 7) and Connecticut(May 8) have Tax Freedom Days falling later than New York State.