WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Tom Reed praised Governor Andrew Cuomo after seeing the result of tax reform in 2017.
“Tax reform slashed taxes across the board, saving the average family we represent $1,600 and enabling small businesses to grow and expand,” Tom said. “Today we’re seeing the fruits of tax cuts: the lowest unemployment rate since the 1960’s for women and minorities, the largest wage growth in more than a decade, and economic optimism at a 10-year high.”
“We applaud the Governor’s pledge not to sign the upcoming budget unless the two percent property tax cap is made permanent. He has clearly seen people are fleeing New York because of Albany’s oppressive tax regime,” Tom said.
Tom criticized the Governor Cuomo’s recent campaign to repeal the SALT Cap.
“In Governor Cuomo’s own words, 66,000 people in Western New York are hurt by the SALT cap – or the top 1 percent of the more than 4.4 million people who live in such area,” Tom continued. “While generally supportive of lowering taxes for people we should not prioritize the New York elite over hardworking people. These are the people who make our state great with their determination and drive to succeed, even under this state’s oppressive tax environment and unfriendly business climate.”
Tom highlighted how the Governor seems more focused on ensuring his wealthy donor base does not leave New York so he can continue to implement the extreme liberal agenda overtaking Albany.
“We successfully fought to ensure tax reform included a SALT cap of $10,000 in order to protect those hardworking families we represent and care about deeply. At the time we knew the $10,000 SALT cap would protect over 90 percent of people in our district – and with the Governors updated stats we are happy to hear this number is much higher,” Tom concluded.
“New York is home to some of America’s highest property taxes. It’s no coincidence that we also lead the nation in the number of residents moving to other states,” Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb said. “Making the property tax cap permanent is an important part of easing the unnecessary financial burdens New Yorkers have faced for too long. We can create a better economic climate by cutting spending, lowering costs and unfunded mandates on localities, and reducing regulations that hurt job-creating businesses. But a commitment to helping New York families trying to make ends meet starts with a permanent property tax cap.”
“The property tax cap has been a successful tool in controlling the growth of rising property taxes imposed on local property taxpayers, Assemblyman Phil Palmesano said. “The goal, however, should be to actually reduce the property tax burden faced by families, seniors, farmers, small businesses and manufacturers. That is why to be truly impactful, it is imperative that we couple the property tax cap with much needed unfunded mandate relief, as it is the unfunded mandates that are the true cost drivers that continue to drive up local budgets, and, therefore, local property taxes,”
“The tax cap is an important step to controlling property taxes and I applaud this move to make it permanent,” Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello said. “However, it must be coupled with continued mandate relief from Albany. Unfounded mandates have a crushing impact on local government.”