County Supports State Efforts For Property-Tax Relief

OSWEGO COUNTY, NY – Oswego County has officially lent its support to the findings of the state Commission on Property Tax Relief and has urged the state legislature to examine those findings and follow through with sound recommendations for property tax relief in New York State.

The commission was established in January to investigate the root causes of the high property tax burden in the state and make recommendations for relief. A preliminary report was issued June 3 with several key recommendations, which Governor David Paterson is incorporating into proposed property tax relief legislation.

Among its findings, the commission determined that New York State’s local taxes are 79 percent above the national average. It also found that property taxes are rising at more than twice the rate of inflation and salary growth and that state aid as a percentage of cost is below the national average.

The commission and the Governor have recommended a cap on school property taxes at 4 percent, or 120 percent of the Consumer Price Index. Other recommendations include:

• Reforming the STAR program to consider taxpayers’ income and ability to pay;
• Putting a stop to new legislative and regulatory mandates on local governments and schools without first conducting a fiscal analysis;
• The creation of a commission to examine unfunded mandates; and
• The implementation of 12 recommendations of the Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness.

Local legislators agreed that while the property tax cap is a positive step, the need to limit unfunded mandates is critical.

“We need to urge the state to limit unfunded mandates,” legislator Shawn Doyle, R-Pulaski, said. “This is a good step but it may be the second step.”

Legislator Arthur Ospelt, R-Schroeppel, agreed and said that if the state chooses to implement costly initiatives, it should pay for them.

“We’re requesting our representatives in Albany to address this issue,” legislator Jack Beckwith, R-Hannibal, pointed out. “How they do it is their business.”

Legislator John Proud, R-Mexico, suggested that the county find a way to emphasize the importance of reducing unfunded mandates in its resolution.

“We can’t change what’s happening out there at the end if we don’t change what’s happening at the beginning,” Proud said.

Legislator Arthur Gearsbeck, R-West Monroe, said he fully supported the resolution.

“This is what needs to be done,” Gearsbeck said. “I appreciate (Oswego County) doing it.”

In a roll call vote, the decision was unanimously approved, 24-0. Legislator Linda Lockwood, R-Volney, was not present for the meeting.

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