Cuomo, Nassau County Officials Propose Permanent Tax Cap
NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke out Sunday to push making the state's tax cap permanent while surrounded by several Nassau County officials, the county where several homeowners saw huge reassessment increases at the local level.
According to the governor's office, the current 2 percent property state property tax cap saved more than $24.4 billion in its first six years. Between 2000 to 2010, the overall rate grew 5.3 percent each year.
MORE: Nassau County Hit By Rising Property Tax Reassessments
Though he did not directly address the issue, using Nassau County as a venue highlighted the plight of homeowners there who saw their tax assessments increase dramatically.
"I'm never going to get a budget that doesn't have a permanent property tax cap, because the State Senate is never going to pass a budget that doesn't have a permanent property tax cap," said Cuomo. "Because there are senators from Long Island who are going to stand up for the Long Island taxpayers, and they are going to say we will never pass a budget without a permanent property tax cap."
Web Extra: Gov. Cuomo talks property tax caps:
Long Island residents told CBS2's Dave Carlin they are very concerned about the issue. Steve Ilardi of Garden City said even at 2 percent it will still add up over time.
"And in five or six years, that's 12 percent. You keep doing that you can't afford to live on the Island anymore," Ilardi said.
A permanent cap is something Long Island Congressman Peter King would like to see.
"It's a state issue, but I support it," King told CBS2's Carlin. "We have to get the state taxes -- income taxes, property taxes -- under control. I support the governor on that, yeah."
"I would definitely agree with that cap. It's got to stop. Because eventually, we're just going to be pushed right out of our house," added Selden resident Cheryl Santorelli.
Cuomo and fellow Democrats who control the Legislature are making tough choices as they try to get a spending plan in place by an April 1 deadline.
A proposal for Manhattan congestion pricing to fund the ailing transit system is still alive in the spending plan negotiations, as is one to make permanent a 2 percent cap on local property tax increases.
Getting a proposal in the final budget increases the chances it will become a reality but there are no guarantees.
Pulled from the state budget talks: legalizing, regulating and taxing recreational marijuana.
But that issue could still be ironed out in separate legislation before the Assembly and Senate are set to end their 2019 session on June 19.
After saying earlier in the week that he was "cautiously optimistic" on congestion pricing, Cuomo said during a Friday news conference at the Capitol that he won't agree to a plan that doesn't include reforming the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the agency that runs the city's subways.
Cuomo isn't as optimistic that public financing of political campaigns will be included in the estimated $175 billion budget plan for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
The Senate and Assembly will be in session Monday through Friday this coming week, the only full work week scheduled for the 61-day 2019 session. If a budget deal isn't in place by the end of the day Friday, lawmakers could remain in Albany over the weekend to get it done.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
