REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS CALL FOR STAR PROGRAM TO BE RENEWED AND REFORMED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 22, 2007

Contact: George Oros
Tel: (914) 995-2828
Oros@westchesterlegislators.com

Noting that Governor Pataki’s original proposal to reduce property taxes (the STAR program) eased the tax burden on many Westchester residents, the Republican Conference of the Westchester County Board of Legislators endorses Governor Spitzer’s call to continue STAR. The Conference does, however, have one proviso: capping local school board spending.

“A hallmark of the Pataki administration was reducing the tax burden for all New Yorkers,” stated Minority Leader George Oros (R/C- Cortlandt). “The new proposal continues that but lacks the spending cap.”

When first introduced by Pataki, the STAR program capped school spending at the lower of 4% or the rate of inflation. The state legislature deleted that provision when it enacted STAR. The legislators said all this did was “shift the tax burden onto a different tax bill”.

“The failure to adopt the spending cap shifted the middle class income tax burden to the overburdened middle class property tax payer,” noted Ursula LaMotte (R/C- Bedford). “The schools spent the increased state aid while increasing property taxes to historic levels.”

James Maisano (R/C- New Rochelle) pointed to the success of Massachusetts.

“In 1981, Massachusetts passed a cap on property taxes,” said Maisano. “Massachusetts, once the most heavily taxed state, fell to 32nd, now New York is number two but seems to be trying harder to be number one.”

The Conference stressed the importance of this measure by requesting its inclusion in the legislative package the Board is currently drafting.

“Clearly any legislative package should call for tax relief,” said Sue Swanson (R/C- Mount Pleasant), citing recent media accounts that Westchester has the highest property taxes in the country.

“It is time for real relief and real reform in tax cuts,” said Gordon Burrows (R/C- Yonkers). “Ultimately it is more painful to the taxpayer when taxes are cut but spending increases.”