Assemblywoman Sandy Galef
A message from
Assemblywoman
SANDY
GALEF
WAY$ TO CUT PROPERTY TAXES
Hear recommendations from Suozzi’s
Property Tax Relief Commission

2 Church Street, Ossining, NY 10562 • Phone: 914-941-1111
Fax: 914-941-9132 • E-mail:

Dear Constituents,

Since our economy is in such a tough spot, I know expenses such as property taxes are a critical issue for my constituents. While how we fund schools is one important component of our taxes as highlighted in my March newsletter, reducing the property tax burden must also include ways to cut expenses. In April, I hosted a forum on shared services between school districts and government. For detail click here. I think this really stimulated all who participated to examine how they do business and consider ways to improve.

How else can we cut costs? How can we use our frustrations to get involved in some of the solutions? I believe we need to look at how many levels of government we have in New York. Some other states have opted to have counties take on the bulk of services. Others have decided not to have county government at all, or have eliminated other levels. If you could recreate New York government, what would it look like? Who would be responsible for which services? Which services are least important to your quality of life? What are you willing to live without? Greater efficiencies could mean more effective government, but it might mean making compromises at the school or municipal level. Please fill out the questionnaire below.

On Monday, June 9th from 7-9pm at Putnam Valley High School, I am hosting a forum with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi to hear the initial report from the Commission on Property Tax Relief, which he chairs. The Commission spent the last five months looking deeply into the issues impacting property taxes. At this forum, Mr. Suozzi will explain the Commission’s process, its findings, initial recommendations, and discuss next steps. Changes at this level require a grass roots effort to be effective. Please plan to attend this forum to begin the work that needs to be done.

I received a number of very thoughtful responses to the March newsletter about school funding, and I am working on tallying the results. In this issue, I highlight the responses to our winter 2008 newsletter in which I asked for your opinions on transportation, health, the environment and elections. I very much appreciate your responses which help me in my decision making in Albany.

Sincerely,
signature
Sandy Galef
Member of the Assembly




Assemblywoman Sandy Galef hosts
Report from the
Commission on Property Tax Relief
with Commission Chairman
and Nassau County Executive

Thomas R. Suozzi

Monday, June 9th, 20087:00 - 9:00 PM
Putnam Valley High School
146 Peekskill Hollow Road, Putnam Valley


photo Sandy with Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi on the floor of the Assembly chamber. As the Chairman of the New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief, Suozzi has the opportunity to devise solutions to New York’s property tax crisis which will bring relief to New Yorkers.
The New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief, established at the beginning of 2008, will release its preliminary set of recommendations on May 22nd. The Commission was charged with studying the root causes of high property taxes in New York State and developing the most effective approach to limiting property tax growth. They have been reviewing both the revenue and expense side of the equation. The three key areas of relief the Commission is focusing on are: a property tax cap, mandate relief, and a circuit breaker.

Please join me in a discussion with Tom Suozzi to hear about the report’s recommendations and next steps. There will be an opportunity for Q & A. For more information on the work of the commission, visit the web site at: www.cptr.state.ny.us.

Property Tax Relief Forum Sponsors: • Westchester County Association • Putnam County Business Association • Business Council of Westchester • Cold Spring Area Chamber of Commerce •




Highlights from the 2008 State Budget Which Help Cut Property Taxes

The state budget included significant increases to my district which will help hold taxes down while providing financial resources and a continuation of services to students and residents.

School Aid

In school aid alone, the 90th assembly district received $137,800,880, an increase of 11.5% or $14,267,934 over last year’s budget. The budget also restored the governor’s proposed cuts in BOCES and Foundation Aid Formula, and increased the high tax aid in the district to $6,705,378. This record increase in school aid in the state budget will benefit school property taxpayers and lower their tax burden. Another positive impact to local school districts is the restoration of a $500,000 executive budget cut from the Education Department’s Office of School Personnel Review and Accountability – which handles background checks for school personnel. The final budget restores that cut and includes $600,000 more for a total add of $1.1 million.

WICKS Reform

Thanks to reform of the WICKS Law, any school district or municipal project in our area which totals under $1.5 million can now be supervised by one general contractor, saving taxpayers 10% to 30% in construction costs. This is an issue I have been working on since I started in Albany and I am pleased that we have finally taken a first step to reduce the negative financial impact this law has had on our taxpayers.

Municipal Benefits

Municipalities in the 90th AD will receive a 3% increase over last year in state aid through the Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) program. As a small city, Peekskill will receive a 4.8% increase in municipal aid.

Infrastructure Improvement Aid

The final budget included $363 million for funding the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program. Some of this $50 million increase will fund local road and bridge projects in the 90th AD.

Tax Relief

The Middle Class STAR rebate program will continue at its present level of funding, and Enhanced STAR rebates will increase 40% this year. These benefits are in addition to the BASIC STAR and Enhanced STAR credits reflected in our school tax bills.

Housing Help

In housing, $25 million was added to the budget to give financial counseling and legal services to homeowners facing default and foreclosure due to the unscrupulous practices of the mortgage industry. Additionally, there is $200 million of capital money for the development of new affordable housing.


Responses to January 2008 Newsletter Questionnaire

Almost 1,500 of you responded to my January newsletter questionnaire on a number of important issues being discussed in the state legislature. My thanks to those of you who conveyed your views to me through this questionnaire. I will certainly continue to review these ideas and work towards change.

Although congestion pricing died in the Legislature, in my district you supported the plan. 72% said “yes” when asked “Should we encourage commuters to take public transportation into New York City with a congestion-pricing plan, in order to reduce pollution and traffic?” Now, we will have to work on alternative approaches which are more palatable to the entire state, so that we can reap some of the benefits the plan offered.

Other results from the January questionnaire:

  • 73% said raise the minimum age for a driver’s license from 16 to 17.

  • 73% believe drivers should be retested at 80 years old.

  • 90% said do not sell state roads, bridges, tunnels, or other public infrastructures to private sectors.

  • 80% said hospitals and physicians should electronically maintain and make available to patients vital health care information.

  • 68% said that all employees should not be required to contribute to a paid family leave fund.

  • 64% believe a student’s body mass index should not be included on school report cards to inform parents about a potential childhood obesity problem.

  • 60% said plastic grocery bags should be banned from supermarkets and other large stores.

  • 69% said fines should be levied for those who do not recycle.

  • 61% thought candidates should not be prohibited from running on more than one political party line.




On April 10th before a packed audience, I moderated a forum that addressed sharing services between school districts, local governments and the state in order to cut costs. In attendance were school district business officials, municipal leaders, municipal officials, school board trustees and local constituents. Some highlights follow.

NYS Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli emphasized that “the time is now for a conversation on shared services,” particularly given our current fiscal challenges. He made the following points:

  • Start with something you know will work.

  • A bottom-up versus top-down approach is more successful for change.

  • Look for creation of economies so officials can conclude on their own that they might want to merge.

  • Overcoming fear of control loss is what is needed for consolidation to take place.

Westchester County Association Chairman Alfred DelBello, who sits on the Commission for Local Government Competitiveness and Efficiency, also mentioned the need for grass-roots efforts. “Big business can’t remain competitive if Westchester County continues to be the 1st, 2nd or 3rd highest taxed county in the nation,” he said. DelBello pointed out that New York has more taxing districts than any other state as well as:

  • Every place but government has used technology to be more productive using fewer resources.

  • Take a bold approach to pursuing initiatives to lower costs for services even though there may be political repercussions.

  • Start consolidating back-office services across all government lines.

  • Look at duplication of municipal services such as tax assessments by villages and towns. One computer in a county office could bill and collect all taxes and return them to each community without the taxpayer ever knowing the difference.

Cortlandt Town Supervisor Linda Puglisi focused her remarks on the importance of getting a groundswell of community support for any shared service that represents a significant change. When state mandates come to her, she looks for communities with whom Cortlandt can share. Puglisi’s advice and record include:

  • Consolidate departments.

  • To garner public support, advertise potential for tax savings with specific dollar amounts. Treat issues like a campaign.

  • Seek grants for sharing.

  • Cortlandt successes include: Disbanding the town’s 13 member police department and contracting with County and State for protection instead; Forming joint waterworks to build a shared filtration plant that would address fulfilling new state mandates; Eliminating the elected position of superintendent of highways in favor of an appointed position; Sharing a recycling depot with five participating municipalities; Sharing equipment where possible with local towns.

photo Following the shared services forum, Comptroller DiNapoli and Sandy talked with participants.

Putnam/Northern Westchester District Superintendent Dr. James Langlois said the time was right for “...the grand conversation to begin. We need to sit down with state legislators, and it is critical that powerful lobby groups be part of the conversation.” He discussed the many shared services BOCES offers and that:

  • BOCES offers sharing opportunities when as few as two schools have a shared need that would cost less than if all district’s contracted the service on their own.

  • BOCES’ role could grow into transportation management, centralized maintenance, and energy.

  • BOCES could support services beyond school districts if it were allowed by changes in the law.

Audience comments included the need for a “clearinghouse” to help disseminate information about sharing that already exists, what’s available, and how to proceed. Westchester County said they offer possibilities for pooling resources such as: information services, public works, and purchasing. Putnam County has already embarked on a study to look at sharing of assessment services among its municipalities.


photo Sandy is pictured with “Thomas Jefferson,” a student dressed in period garb at the Van Cortlandtville Elementary School Government Tea.
Encourage Sharing by Your Local Government and/or School District

New York State budgeted $29.4 million (a $4.4 million increase) this year to fund the Local Government Efficiency Grants Program. If you feel that sharing services and programs is important, encourage your municipality or school district to submit a grant proposal for some of this $29.4 million to find better ways to offer you services for less. Monies are used to study or act on areas of consolidation or sharing which could lead to reducing costs and, ultimately, your taxes. For more information, call NYS Department of State at: 800-367-8488 or go to dos.state.ny.us, or look at: nyslocalgov.org/pdf/ Local_Government_Efficiency_Grants.pdf.




Sign and return completed survey to:
Assemblywoman Sandy Galef
2 Church Street
Ossining, NY 10562-4802

Please include zip code for tallying purposes.

**Click here for a printable survey**


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