Senator Kenneth P. LaValle today announced that he is opposed to a plan being touted by the New York State Senate Democrats that would cancel the STAR school property tax rebate checks and result in even higher property taxes for 1.6 million New Yorkers.
“The Senate Minority is out-of-touch with the needs of suburban homeowners who are struggling under the weight of crushing property taxes,” said Senator LaValle. “Middle-class families need property tax relief now. The Senate Majority has partnered with the Governor to pass a property tax cap that would begin to deliver that relief.”
Senator LaValle noted that the Senate Minority is calling for an end to property tax rebate checks and even higher property taxes for more than a-million-and-a-half New Yorkers. What’s worse is the plan does nothing to hold down school spending to protect state and local taxpayers.
The tax plan proposed by the Senate Democrats would create winners and losers on the same street, and abolish the direct STAR rebate checks for everyone, regardless of a taxpayer’s income level. In addition, the tax plan cuts in half the number of taxpayers who are eligible for property tax relief in many regions of the State.
According to the Department of Taxation and Finance, 2.9 million New Yorkers received STAR rebate checks in 2007, but only 1.3 million would receive a circuit breaker credit under the Senate Minority proposal.
“The Minority’s plan is ill-conceived and it would turn the promise of tax relief into a nightmare of higher property taxes for 1.6 million New Yorkers,” said Senator LaValle. “With high gas prices and the rising cost of energy and health care already taking a big bite out of the family budget, New Yorkers can’t afford the Senate Minority’s so-called ‘tax relief’ plan.”
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