Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today criticized Gov. Cuomo’s proposed property tax relief plan as having little concrete backing and not addressing the root cause of unfunded mandates. Hawley also said that the plan is simply a temporary fix and does not address the oppressive tax structure in New York State.

“Gov. Cuomo’s proposal is a convenient way to avoid addressing the root cause of high property and school taxes: unfunded mandates,” Hawley said. “I agree that tax cuts should be a focus during this year’s budgetary process, but Gov. Cuomo’s proposal does not address the rigorous and oppressive tax structure in New York State. Furthermore, this proposal is based on a surplus that does not yet exist, and, apparently, could only exist if the legislature made several billion in cuts over the next few years. A better solution for tax relief would be broad-based tax cuts for all New Yorkers and not just select groups, as Gov. Cuomo has done.”

Hawley’s comments come after Gov. Cuomo released a $1.7 billion property tax credit proposal that will be included in his budget presentation next week. Hawley has fought for lower taxes and more fiscal responsibility in Albany during his tenure in the legislature.