City Budget

Incorrect diagnosis of New York’s property tax “problem” will lead to a remedy that is likely to do more harm than good

June 10, 2011. Massachusetts' experience with Proposition 2½ does not support the claim that a cap of the type proposed by Governor Cuomo is workable let alone desirable. If a hard cap of the lesser of 2 percent or the rate of inflation, with no overrides, had been in effect in Massachusetts since 1981-82, that state's property tax revenue would be about 60 percent less than it currently is. The Governor's proposed cap would undermine the quality of the entire array of locally funded public [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:30-04:00June 10th, 2011|City Budget, Reports, Briefs and Presentations, Tax & Budget|

Short Term Property Tax Relief and Long Term Tax Reform: An Omnibus Approach

March 1, 2011. At the public hearing on the Governor's proposed "Cap on Real Property Taxes" before the Assembly Standing Committees on Ways and Means, Education, Real Property Taxation, Local Government and Cities, Frank Mauro, FPI's executive director, explained why a cap on real property taxes would not effectively protect those most in need of property tax relief, and would exacerbate inequities in the current school finance system. In the short run, a property tax circuit breaker would provide effective and targeted relief. Over time, [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:31-04:00March 1st, 2011|City Budget, Must Read, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy, Testimony|

New York Shouldn’t Look to Massachusetts as a Model for Property Tax Reform

May 25, 2010. With Governor Cuomo proposing a rigid cap on property taxes based on Massachusetts' Proposition 2½, this 2010 update of a landmark report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities should be must reading for New York policymakers. This report describes the problems the cap has created in Massachusetts and explains why the impact could be even more severe in New York. Among the key lessons of the Massachusetts experience: A tax cap won't make government services cost less. Claims that caps [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:35-04:00May 25th, 2010|City Budget, Must Read, Tax & Budget, Testimony|

Property Tax Relief: How Does a Circuit Breaker Work?

April 30, 2010. The New York State Property Tax Reform Coalition explains in plain language. Also see their circuit breaker calculator based on the Galef/Little reform bill. The April 2010 issue of Land Lines, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy's quarterly magazine, has a six-page article devoted to circuit breakers and how they work to relieve property tax burden, including a full page sidebar on "New York's Effort to Provide Targeted Tax Relief." Read the article - Property Tax Relief: The Case for Circuit Breakers >>

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:35-04:00April 30th, 2010|Blog, City Budget, Tax & Budget|

Property Tax Relief for New Yorkers

October 19, 2009. At a public forum hosted by Assemblyman Marcus Molinaro in Hopewell Junction, Frank Mauro of the Fiscal Policy Institute discussed the workings of New York State's current property tax system, and John Whiteley of the New York State Property Tax Reform Coalition discussed property tax relief and reform options for New York State. Watch the video >>

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:40-04:00October 19th, 2009|Blog, City Budget, Tax & Budget|

Omnibus Consortium Works to Advance Circuit Breaker and Promote Real Property Tax Reform

April 22, 2009. The Omnibus Consortium (www.omnibustaxsolution.org) joined today with Senator Liz Krueger in support of her reform bill S.4239, calling for action by end of session. Press release >>

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:42-04:00April 22nd, 2009|Blog, City Budget, Tax & Budget|

Groups Support Governor Paterson’s Proposal to Eliminate the STAR Rebate Checks

March 27, 2009. The Omnibus Consortium (www.omnibustaxsolution.org) held a video press conference today to urge that this flawed program be replaced with a meaningful circuit breaker. Group press release >>

Fiscal Policy Institute2024-12-18T12:29:09-05:00March 27th, 2009|Blog, City Budget, Tax & Budget|

Exploring progressive changes to New York State’s personal income tax system

March 12, 2009. This testimony, presented by FPI executive director Frank Mauro to the New York State Senate Select Committee on Budget and Tax Reform, includes a discussion of the Omnibus Tax Reform Bill. The goal of the bill: to restore fairness to taxation with both short term relief and long term solutions.

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:43-04:00March 12th, 2009|City Budget, Tax & Budget, Tax Policy, Testimony|

New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief

December 1, 2008. An archived copy of the Commission's website (originally at "www.cptr.state.ny.us") is available through the New York State Library, including reports, fact sheets, webcasts and transcripts. Preliminary report - June 3, 2008 Final report - December 1, 2008

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:44-04:00December 1st, 2008|City Budget, Reports, Briefs and Presentations, Tax & Budget|

Opinion in the Albany Times Union

The Times Union has provided a forum for opinion pieces from various sources: September 7, 2008. A taxing solution: A tax cap forces Mass. towns to think about spending, by Richard P. Tisei, leader of the Republican minority in the Massachusetts Senate, and Bay State's Proposition 2½ not without difficulties, by Michael J. Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. July 20, 2008. A point/counterpoint pair of op eds on the proposed tax cap: Cap pressures government, not residents, to perform, by John J. Faso, [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:44-04:00September 7th, 2008|Blog, City Budget, Tax & Budget|

Short Term Tax Relief and Long Term Tax Reform: An Omnibus Bill Approach

August 15, 2008. Tax reform options are receiving little attention during the current property tax debate as elected officials, the media, advocates and the general public look for ways to deliver more immediate property tax relief. In this presentation, FPI's Executive Director Frank Mauro makes the case for the Omnibus Property Tax Relief and Reform Act. He argues that immediate relief is best provided by a well-targeted property tax circuit-breaker; and that to ease the pressure on the local property tax base over the longer [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:45-04:00August 15th, 2008|City Budget, Reports, Briefs and Presentations, Tax & Budget|

Siena New York Poll: Circuit Breaker & Gas Tax Cut Top Property Tax Cap

July 14, 2008. While New York voters strongly support both a property tax cap and a property tax "circuit breaker," which ensures that property taxes do not exceed a certain percentage of a homeowner's income, when forced to choose between the two, a majority prefer the circuit breaker, according to a new Siena (College) Research Institute poll a new Siena Research Institute poll released today. More voters would rather see New York eliminate 32 cents of state gas taxes than cap property tax increases. "New [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:45-04:00July 16th, 2008|Blog, City Budget, Tax & Budget|

Education policy experts weigh in on tax caps

July 14, 2008. A collection of materials from researchers and stakeholders, including the Council of School Superintendents and the PTA. It's Elementary, a monthly column by John Yinger, director of the Education Finance and Accountability Program and professor, Syracuse University's Maxwell School. See especially: Why a Property Tax Cap Is a Bad Idea for New York (June 2008) The Preliminary Report of the New York Commission on Property Tax Relief (May 2008) Reform in New York State's Education Aid Formula? (April 2008) Materials from the [...]

Fiscal Policy Institute2025-04-04T14:27:45-04:00July 14th, 2008|Blog, City Budget, Tax & Budget|