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Property Tax Relief Does Not Equal Property Tax Reform
To the Editor,
I had followed the campaign for governor this past year with a particular interest in how the candidates viewed the question of property taxes. I was pleased when Tom Suozzi, Mr. Spitzer's challenger for the democratic nomination, made the issue a hallmark of his campaign. Through his efforts, the pernicious property tax system of financing education garnered media attention, making it a major issue for the duration of the gubernatorial campaign.
Anyone holding out hope the system would be reformed by Mr. Spitzer's ascendence to the governor's mansion, simply wasn't paying attention. The plan promulgated by the Governor during his campaign was that of property tax relief, not property tax reform - there is a distinct difference. In fact Governor Spitzer's plan is just a hybrid of former Governor Pataki's STAR program.
The term property tax relief is a semantic used by the political class to throw the electorate off balance. Essentially it is political posturing to create the illusion they are going to bring about meaningful change. I don't quite understand why the Governor, and his colleagues in government are so intent on maintaining the status quo. Why is it when the people demand reform the elected official responds with relief?
The mailing out of pre-election property tax rebate checks was a crass political maneuver on the part of the state legislature. It was disgraceful, disrespectful, and an insult to the taxpayers of this state - the fact is we don't need rebate checks. We don't want anymore STAR relief programs, what we want is property tax reform. We want this system removed from our lives forever.
I encourage Governor Spitzer to jettison the initiative he has proposed, and work to make S1265, introduced by Senator Kenneth P. LaValle and A08069 introduced by Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, state law.
Lastly, I would encourage the Governor to take the time to examine the laws New Mexico and Vermont enacted to reform their systems of financing education: http:// www.newrules.org/equity/ nmfund.html for New Mexico, and http://www.newrules.org/ equity/act60.html for Vermont.
John Soto Putnam Valley
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