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Adam In Albany: STAR Relief on Way.
Posted on Monday, May 26 @ 23:49:56 EDT by jfbailey
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WPCNR's Adam In Albany. By District 89 Assemblyman Adam Bradley. May 26, 2003:This year, the Legislature united in a spirit of bipartisanship to create a fair and responsible budget that protects vital services while rejecting what would have been the largest property tax hike ever in New York.
By restoring $1.1 billion of the Governor’s unprecedented cuts to education and rejecting his proposal to freeze the Assembly’s STAR school tax relief program, the Legislature headed off what would have been a catastrophe for New York taxpayers. Property taxes are already too high in Westchester County, and it would be unfair to ask our families, especially seniors, to shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden.
Democrats in the Assembly along with Republicans in the Senate put aside political differences to enact a budget that will move our state forward without shifting the burden to local property-taxpayers. The bipartisan coalition further rejected $268.9 million in new fees, fines and assessments, and lowered a tax on nursing homes, saving them $45 million a year.
To build on this tax relief, the Assembly recently passed legislation, which I co-sponsored, to help seniors get the STAR school tax relief they are due. The bill (A.7873) would allow seniors to use their 2002 income tax returns instead of 2001 returns to meet the income requirements for this year’s enhanced STAR program.
This would provide immediate relief for this year’s retiring eligible seniors, who have seen their incomes drop off in the last year. I encourage the Senate to pass this legislation and the governor to sign it into law. This legislation would ensure seniors will receive the STAR property tax relief they deserve.
Retirees have earned the enjoyment and relaxation the retirement years promise. But for many, the loss of a regular paycheck means tightening the household budget, and less ability to shoulder the burden of property taxes. The Assembly’s enhanced STAR program would save eligible Westchester seniors an estimated average of $2,940 a year, savings which can go a long way during these tough times.
Last year, the Assembly fought to raise income eligibility levels for enhanced STAR, providing more seniors with needed tax relief. And this year, we rejected the governor’s proposal to freeze the STAR program altogether. This legislation goes a step further in extending benefits to all eligible seniors, excluded by a costly technicality in current law.
The measure continues my effort to provide tax relief to New York families. This year alone, I made the right choice and voted against $75.7 million in new taxes. Rest assured, I will keep working to protect Westchester families.
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