NEWS FROM NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MINORITY LEADER JAMES N. TEDISCO

Contact: Joshua Fitzpatrick, (518) 455-3751
Email: tediscj@assembly.state.ny.us
For Immediate Release:
Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Tedisco, Assembly Minority Unveil "Property Tax Cap Countdown Clock"

As part of their continuing effort to build public support for the timely enactment of a property tax cap to give overtaxed New Yorkers real relief, Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco (R,C,I,-Schenectady-Saratoga) and Members of the Assembly Minority Conference today unveiled their "Property Tax Cap Countdown Clock."

The clock will countdown until Tuesday, April 1, 2008, which is New York's fiscal deadline and when the Assembly Minority members are calling for the cap to be enacted by. The clock will remain outside Room 340 of the State Capitol for public viewing. If the property tax cap were enacted, New York would join 14 other states - such as California and Massachusetts - that have enacted similar measures.

"I believe that while there are many important issues warranting our attention, enactment of a property tax cap should be the top legislative priority this session, as excessive property taxes are the number one issue facing New Yorkers caught in a 'middle class squeeze' of high taxes, tolls, fuel costs and just about everything else," Tedisco stated.

"Our Property Tax Cap Countdown Clock is meant to serve as a constant reminder to all 212 Members of our state Legislature that taxpayers deserve a property tax cap in place before they are asked to decide on their local school district budget and possibly face even higher property taxes as a result. Having a property tax cap in place beforehand would help protect taxpayers," said Assemblyman Marc Molinaro (R,I,C-Tivoli).

"While Governor Spitzer took an important step in calling for a property tax cap in his State of the State Address last week - and deserves credit for doing so - I believe his call for a commission on this issue stopped just short of the leadership we need. For the sake of our state and its fiscal future, we can ill-afford to allow enactment of a property tax cap to become bogged down in bureaucratic minutiae. We owe it to New Yorkers to make a property tax cap happen this session," said Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R,C,I-Smithtown), sponsor of Assembly Bill A.8775-A, "The New York State Property Taxpayers Protection Act."

"We need Governor Spitzer to use the full power of his bully pulpit to put passage of the property tax cap at the top of this session's 'to-do' list, as doing so would send exactly the right message to those struggling with their property tax burden that help is, finally, on the way. In an economy that may be headed toward - or in the beginning of - a possible recession, the swift enactment of a property tax cap becomes even more important, more urgent, as it will make a genuine difference in easing the financial burden for many homeowners," Tedisco stated.

"Capping property taxes, banning backdoor borrowing, passing a real economic development plan that renews our Upstate economy without saddling taxpayers with more debt, this is the bi-partisan agenda we need Governor Spitzer to join us in enacting," Tedisco concluded.



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