The Buffalo News - Despite Culinary Temptations, Suozzi Savors Property Tax-Cut Message

The Buffalo News - Despite Culinary Temptations, Suozzi Savors Property Tax-Cut Message

Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Thomas R. Suozzi encountered just about every possible food group Saturday as he shook hands and kissed babies from Black Rock to Lockport.

But despite temptations of the strawberry festival at St. John's United Church of Christ on the West Side and ribs at the Juneteenth Festival on the East Side, all the Nassau County executive really savored was talking about reducing property taxes.

And as he attempts to chip away at the overwhelming lead in the polls held by his Democratic rival - Attorney General Eliot L. Spitzer - Suozzi continues to insist that he offers a plan to reduce one of the highest property tax burdens in the nation.

"The whole property tax debate makes pretty clear the differences between him and me," Suozzi said while campaigning at the Rediscover Amherst Street Festival. "I forced him to come out with a position, and when he did come out with a position, it was bogus because it had so many holes in it."

Suozzi and Republican candidate John J. Faso have come out swinging at Spitzer in recent days. They both claim that Spitzer, who holds commanding leads in his primary campaign against Suozzi and his general election effort against Faso, has neither offered enough specifics nor attacked the underlying causes of New York's high taxes.

"If he really does all the things he's talking about, it will be tens of billions in new expenses," Suozzi said. "That's getting clearer and clearer."

In his new property tax plan, Spitzer said the state should "focus this benefit on those who need it." His proposal creates a new "middle class" category in the state's STAR program for families earning between $60,000 to $90,000, depending on their location in the state. Homeowners, on average, would see a property tax break of $565.

The benefit will be reduced on a sliding scale for those making up to $120,000 - or $180,000 in high cost-of-living regions of the state. Those not eligible for the "middle class" tax break still would see an increase of 30 percent in their basic STAR savings. Homeowners with incomes greater than $235,000 would see no tax break.

Faso told The Buffalo News that Spitzer will be unable to pay for more STAR exemptions without attacking root causes of high property taxes like binding arbitration and other state mandates.

"They are the cause of our dismay right now," Faso said. "He's talking more STAR without any mandate reform or certainly without a cap on local taxes."

Faso has proposed amending the Triborough Agreement of the Taylor Law to ensure the taxpayer's ability to pay is a factor in reaching binding arbitration agreements with public unions. He also seeks reforms in the Wicks Law, which adds 10 to 20 percent in construction costs of public projects by requiring different bids for different aspects of the job.

Suozzi has proposed many of the same ideas, but says he differs from Faso because of the former Assembly minority leader's emphasis on reducing income taxes.

"I don't think we need to reduce the income tax," he said. "It's property taxes that are hurting people.

"And I just don't think Spitzer gets in his gut how real the property tax problem is," he added.

The Spitzer campaign was unavailable for comment late Saturday, but it has insisted all along that his $5 billion plan would be financed from a pool of $11 billion in various cuts and other savings in the state budget.

"Pilfering money from them to feed the special interests through the general fund will increase already dangerous debt levels and hike fees on the people that use these services," Faso said.

http://tomsuozzi.com/news/bn-061906/