Albany, N.Y., Dec. 10, 2013 - New York State United Teachers President Richard C. Iannuzzi has issued the following statement on today's release of the state Tax Relief Commission report:
"New York's working families who rely on vital public services such as education and health care are not breathing a sigh of relief from the so-called property tax relief recommendations presented today by the state's Tax Relief Commission. The commission's proposals will further exacerbate the inequality created by the property tax cap and erode local decision-making while ignoring the investments that the state must make to strengthen our economy.
"Right now, more than 70 percent of school districts are receiving less money than in 2008-09 while, at the same time, they are being asked by the state to meet new, higher standards. Their ability to raise necessary operating funds has already been hampered by the property tax cap and now, to add insult to injury, the Tax Relief Commission proposes to penalize local districts that exceed their cap even though very few local governments even attempt to seek approval from voters to exceed the cap."
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members. Members are pre-K-12 teachers; school-related professionals; higher education faculty; other professionals in education, human services and health care; and retirees. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.