Albany, New York – Yesterday Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-South Queens), voted with her colleagues in the State Assembly to allow local governments to extend the property tax payment deadline for affected federal employees. Bill A.881 seeks to extend the property tax payment deadline for affected federal employees, with no penalties or interest, until 90 days after the shutdown ends.

“As the federal government shutdown drags into its fourth week, it’s important to recognize that approximately 14,000 federal employees in New York State work for departments affected by the shutdown.[1] For anyone living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to care for their families, this loss of income and uncertainty is devastating. The shutdown also affects our local economy because these workers aren’t able to spend money at the small businesses that make South Queens run,” said Pheffer Amato.