About the Coalition

The coalition is a broad-based group of individuals, businesses and associations committed to seeing a real property tax cap enacted in New York.

New York’s local taxes are the highest in America, 79% above the national average. These taxes are driving people from their homes and killing our economy. The concept of setting cap to limit the annual growth of property taxes in New York has extensive support – 76% of all respondents including 83% of homeowners in a recent Siena poll expressed their support for a property tax cap. Upstate and suburban middle-class homeowners make up the largest group of supporters.

Governor Paterson deserves credit for advancing this proposal and using the bully pulpit of his office to forcefully advocate for it. Now that the State Senate has joined him, the fate of this vital reform is left to the Assembly majority.  The Assembly majority should respond to the pleas of homeowners across the state and support this proposal.

The property tax is by far the largest non-federal tax paid by New Yorkers. In 2009 local governments collected a stunning $46 billion in property taxes from business and homeowners; $16 billion of that was collected in New York City alone. "Many New York City residents are renters, so they don't feel the bite of the property tax directly. They don’t realize it's in their rent.

Is the cap a cure-all for our property tax crisis? No. But it is a vital first step. Without the fiscal discipline imposed by a cap other needed reforms, including circuit-breaker relief for some New Yorkers, mandate relief and more efficient use of tax dollars in our schools will never happen.

Ultimately, we need a more aggressive property tax cap. "So-called 'circuit breakers' or increased school-aid from Albany are not workable solutions, just expensive band-aids. A hard cap on all types of property taxes along with mandate relief for local schools and governments are essential to reducing the tax burden in New York, slowing upstate population losses, and putting the state on a path to economic recovery.

Please sign on to the NY Property Tax Cap Coalition.

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