Issue Position: Taxes

Issue Position

George Latimer has consistently voted to control taxes, rein in spending, and oppose tax increases. The old, dysfunctional Albany playbook is to pass along costs to local governments and property taxpayers, but George knows it's way past time for a new approach. That's why George has consistently worked to reduce the overall tax burden, while simultaneously working to relieve unfunded mandates.

Having served in both local and state government, George Latimeris uniquely qualified to understand how the mandates placed on local governments by the state contribute to our heavy tax burden., It is with this understanding and experience that George Latimer is equipped to give Westchester taxpayers a balanced approach to lowering taxes while preserving essential services.

When George Latimer was the Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, county property taxes were cut in three consecutive years. Now George Latimer has helped New Yorkers realize the lowest middle class income tax rates since 1953.

Further, to reduce the burden of the estate tax on small, family-owned businesses and farms, and stem the exodus of New Yorkers who were literally moving to die, George Latimer passed the 2014-15 state budget, which increased the threshold of the estate tax value to the federal exemption level, reducing the burden on taxpayers.

George Latimer understands that Westchester County has the highest property taxes in the country and he also understands how that problem started and most importantly how to fix it. George Latimer worked with Governor Cuomo to hold property taxes to an average growth rate of just over two percent during the past two years (his first term in the Senate), less than half the rate of growth over the previous ten years. And with the tax plan in the recently enacted state budget, homeowners will have their property taxes frozen and then cut over the next few years.

George believes that even though we've had many recent successes, there are still more steps that must be taken to right-size government and reduce over-reaching mandated costs. He has been a long time supporter of efforts to relieve the Medicaid costs that have been forced onto county governments. New York is one of the only states in the country that forces county governments to pay for Medicaid costs -- it's inexpensive, it's inefficient, and it drives up property taxes.

Additionally, our teachers, our police officers, and our firefighters shouldn't pay for problems created by Albany politicians from past generations. The state should find solutions to its own problems -- which is why George supports legislation to force the state to pay for overrun pension costs instead of asking local taxpayers to pick up the bill.

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