Published: April 16, 2008 07:39 pm      

TAXPAYERS ACT: Legislature supports state proposal to cap school district levies

A state plan to lower property taxes by limiting growth in school district tax levies received unanimous support this week from members of the Niagara County Legislature.

County lawmakers authorized a resolution endorsing the Property Taxpayers Protection Act, a bill sponsored by members of the Republican Minority in the state Assembly that would cap growth in the amount of annual taxes raised by school districts at 4 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less.

The sponsor of the resolution, Legislator Dan Sklarski, D-Town of Niagara, said the proposal represents a step in the right direction when it comes to addressing burgeoning property taxes, a common complaint heard by local leaders.

“It would appear as though our elected leaders in Albany are starting to get the message and starting to react to the message that we are hearing,” Sklarski said.

The proposed school district tax levy cap includes a provision that would allow voters to override the limitation by a two-thirds majority vote. In addition, the measure provides for 100 percent reimbursement to schools for costs incurred from fourth- and eighth-grade math and English tests starting in the 2008-09 school year.

The biggest potential benefit for Niagara County would be a provision that calls on the state to begin picking up the tab for unfunded mandates in excess of $10,000 for both municipalities and school districts.

If some of those mandates were to be assumed by the state, Sklarski said the county would, theoretically, be put in a better position to cuts taxes for its own property owners. In addition, the proposal calls for the state to assume the cost for all optional Medicaid services within the next five years, thus helping counties to reduce their own costs for the burdensome program.

“Hopefully, this will put some relief to our school districts and our taxpayers,” Sklarski said.

Supporters of the bill, which is currently being reviewed by the state Legislature’s Education Committee, say it will save property taxpayers and school districts about $16 billion over a five-year period.

State Assemblyman Bill Reilich, R-Greece, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said he expects the Taxpayers Protection Act to get a boost next month when the New York State Property Tax Commission lead by Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi unveils its findings. Suozzi’s group was empowered by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer to examine ways in which the state could combat its ever-mounting property tax problem.

Reilich said indications are that the preliminary findigns to be presented by Suozzi’s Tax Commission on May 15 will endorse several aspects of the Taxpayers Protection Act. Reilich also said he expects the bill, or at the very least a modified version of it, to eventually receive support from Gov. David Paterson as well.