SUBJECT:

PURPOSE:

Over the last several years efforts have been made to alleviate high property taxes through the adoption and implementation of various exemptions and rebate programs on the state and local level. Despite these attempts, many taxpayers still do not receive the relief they need.

Several new pieces of legislation have been introduced that attempt to provide tax relief to those most in need, and try to address areas of assessment inequity and inefficiency. This hearing will allow the public to provide feedback on the merits of the following bills that seek to accomplish this:

S.1053-a / A.1575-a (Little/Galef)
This proposal, known as the "Circuit Breaker Bill" would establish a personal income tax credit for a portion of a taxpayer's residential real property taxes which exceeds a certain percentage of the taxpayer's household gross income for taxpayers that have resided in such residential real property for not less than 5 years.

S.2683 / A.1572 (Little/Galef)
This proposal would amend the state constitution to provide that real property assessments shall be (1) based on a single statewide standard of assessment; (2) made pursuant to a uniform three year assessment cycle; and (3) determined on a county-wide basis. A statewide real property tax assessment standard shall be developed by the State Office of Real Property Services which would be used by every county to determine assessments within such county.

S.7538 / A.10613 (Little/Galef)
This proposal would require local governments to prepare exemption impact reports to be posted with annual proposed budgets.

S.7727 / A.10730 (Little/Galef)
This proposal would allow municipal corporations to remove the limitations on assessments on condominiums and cooperatives converted or constructed on and after January 1, 2010 for municipalities subject to the provisions of section 581 of the real property tax law. (This does not apply to condominiums and cooperatives in New York City.)

Please see the reverse side for a list of bills to which witnesses may direct their testimony.

Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony to the Committees at the above hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be accepted by invitation only and is limited to ten minutes duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Committees will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to contact person listed on the reply form as early as possible. Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committees would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

In order to further publicize these hearings, please inform interested parties and organizations of the Committees' interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Legislature, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Legislative facilities and activities.

SELECTED ISSUES TO WHICH WITNESSES MAY DIRECT THEIR TESTIMONY:

All testimony should be limited to the discussion of the following bills:

S.1053-a / A.1575-a (Little/Galef)

S.2683 / A.1572 (Little/Galef)

S.7538 / A.10613 (Little/Galef)

S.7727 / A.10730 (Little/Galef)

PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Proposed Legislation Addressing Real Property Taxation Issues are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and e-mail, fax or mail it to:

Lauren Denison
Legislative Analyst
Assembly Committee on Real Property Taxation
Room 520 - Capitol
Albany, New York 12248
E-mail: denisonl@assembly.state.ny.us
Phone: (518) 455-4363
Fax: (518) 455-5182

I will address my remarks to the following subjects:

I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required: