New Yorkers now have an online tool to explore their local tax burdens and fighting against what Gov. Andrew Cuomo called "out-of-control" property taxes.
Part of Cuomo's CitizenConnects website, "Cap NY Property Taxes" enables citizens to learn more about property taxes both in their county and across the state, and how to fight rising taxes.
It also includes instructions for how to consolidate or dissolve duplicative and overlapping layers of government that contribute to the tax burden, according to a press release from Cuomo's office.
New York state's median property tax is $3,755, 96 percent higher than the national average of $1,917, according to Cuomo. From 2005 to 2009, the average property tax increase for all governments and school districts in New York was approximately 5 percent, while the median sale price of a home decreased during the same time by 20 percent.
Cuomo has contended that excessive local governments are saddling New Yorkers with extra taxes. He passed a property tax cap this past June, requiring local governments and school districts to raise taxes no more than 2 percent of the rate of inflation, whichever is less.
"The critical part of the tax cap is that it has stimulated community dialogue in property taxes like never before," the Cap NY Property Taxes website states. "This website will help inform, educate and stimulate the debate — providing citizen empowerment tools to find ways to reign in out-of-control property taxes."
