New York State Assembly

Imagine working every day for the past four months and not being able to spend or save a nickel of your hard-earned money. It sounds like a far-fetched scenario, but for New Yorkers it is the harsh, high-tax reality in which we live.

Sunday, May 4 is "Tax Freedom Day" in New York State, but there is no cause for celebration. Each year the Tax Foundation establishes the symbolic date representing the time New Yorkers have earned enough money to pay off their total tax bill. This year, taxpayers will have earned enough to meet their annual tax responsibility on May 4, the third-worst date in the country.

REAL REFORMS ARE NEEDED TO TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Taxes in New York have hurt families and businesses for too long. In 2010, Tax Freedom Day came on April 23. By 2012, New York's Tax Freedom Day crept into May. That same year, state and local income tax collections were $2,196 per person - the highest in the nation. In 2014, New Yorkers paid approximately $2,335 per person in property taxes, again, one of highest amounts in the U.S. The Assembly Minority has fought tirelessly to:

• eliminate burdensome unfunded mandates, the true driver of local property taxes;

• make permanent the middle-class income tax cut; and

• drive down regulations and taxes on job-creating businesses.

However, on the issue of permanent and meaningful tax relief, other state leaders have continually fallen short. Temporary gimmicks and short-term measures will not scratch the surface of the tax-relief solutions we desperately need in New York.

Compounding the issue is the consistent failure to protect taxpayer dollars in New York State. Within only the past year, we have seen progressive proposals surface to direct public money into programs that should never be subsidized by hardworking New Yorkers. Some of these proposed initiatives would use taxpayer dollars to fund political campaigns, give free college degrees to convicts, and pay tuition assistance for illegal immigrants.

As we move toward the end of the legislative session, I urge all New Yorkers to tell their elected officials to get serious about the economy. Families and businesses should no longer be subjected to the high-tax climate that has been allowed to become the norm in New York State.

We need a commitment from Albany to enact effective, lasting legislation and maintain a diligence that protects taxpayer dollars, rather than using public money to fund political priorities. That is the only pathway to achieve true "Tax Freedom."

What do you think? I want to hear from you. Send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State. You can always contact my district office at (315) 781-2030 or e-mail me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us.