Let’s START Helping Taxpayers Save Money
Oros proposes plan to tie excess sales tax revenue to property tax reduction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 13, 2007

Contact: George Oros,Tel: (914) 995-2828

Westchester County Legislator George Oros (R, C/Cortlandt) is calling on his fellow colleagues on the Board of Legislators to join him in passing legislation that would set aside a portion of excess sales tax received by the county to offset any tax hike for property owners.

Oros, the minority leader of the Board of Legislators, whose district covers Cortlandt, Peekskill and Yorktown, said Westchester would be wise to follow the recent lead of the New Jersey State Assembly in allocating funds to help taxpayers.

“As a Jersey boy growing up, I was proud to see elected officials there recognize the need to assist taxpayers with rising property taxes,” Oros said. “There’s no reason we can’t do the same here in Westchester, where, as we all know, taxes have a stranglehold on so many.”

Oros said in the first quarter of 2007, sales tax revenues have already exceeded budget projections by $11.7 million, which, at the same pace, would result in a nearly $50 million increase over 2006 in sales tax income. Sales tax revenue has increased nearly 10% annually. That equates to about $55 million or 10% of the real property tax levy.

Instead of simply putting additional revenue in the general fund, as has been done in the past, Oros would like to see a law adopted mandating a certain percentage of any increase in sales tax revenue be returned to property taxpayers.

Oros has dubbed his proposed plan START (Sales Tax Augmenting Real property Tax).

“It’s a never ending battle that we face trying to balance keeping our services and reducing the tax burden. In Westchester, we can do better, and we should START now,” Oros said. “This county has a $1.7 billion budget. Using a small portion of additional revenue that was not budgeted to help our hard working residents is not asking too much. It’s the least we can do.”

Oros also noted that “property tax reduction is not a Democrat or Republican issue” but every elected officials’ concern. As proof, the Trenton, NJ born Oros pointed out that it is the Democrat Assembly members in New Jersey who have introduced a similar measure there.

The proposal was submitted to the Legislation Committee for consideration.