Property Taxpayer Protection Act falls short of effective reform
The Property Taxpayer Protection Act, recently proposed by the New York Assembly Republicans, is an attempt to reduce the property tax burden. Unfortunately, this act falls short of effective reform, and the Property Tax Reform Task Force cannot support it.
The Task Force, part of a coalition of New York State citizens, works with colleagues across the state to achieve taxpayer relief through school funding reform. We believe that any sustainable reform effort must include the following.
(1) Provide quality public education for all New Yorkers
(2) Be based upon a revised, progressive statewide income-based tax that takes account of a citizen’s ability to pay–not the regressive property tax
(3) Reduce escalating costs without damaging programs
(4) Does not, as now, disadvantage middle- and lower-income taxpayers.
The school funding system should be equitable. It should not force New Yorkers to choose between supporting their schools or keeping their homes.
The proposed act contains a variety of interesting provisions, including a 4% cap on school property tax levies. However, it continues to base school funding upon local property taxes, which will not correct the cause of the current crisis in our communities. For the last ten years, the property tax levy has grown by almost 7% each year, far beyond the cost of living or most property owners’ income level, often a fixed income that takes no account of inflation or school tax levies. It does not help that the local contribution to school funding grew to nearly 55% in 2005, reversing the proportion of local vs. state contributions of some years ago.
Capping the annual increase of local property taxes, whatever the percentage, ignores the real problem. Homeowners cannot continue to sustain these inequitable school property tax increases. New York should base school funding on a progressive state income-based tax in which all citizens support education based on their ability to pay.
Speaking for thousands of New Yorkers, the Property Tax Reform Task Force challenges our legislators - and our new governor - to adopt effective school funding reform. Education cannot continue to be funded by local property taxes.
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