Fiscal thoughts
With Gov. David Paterson addressing the state on its fiscal woes, state Assemblyman Greg Ball, R-Patterson, sent out his thoughts. Read more after the break. His opponent, who is briefly mentioned in the following press release, has said he plans to focus on property-tax relief. From Assemblyman Greg Ball—
BLOATED BUDGET LEAVES
NEW YORK BROKE
Ball Renews Call for Silver to Bring Assembly Back to Enact Tax Relief Now
Today, Assemblyman Greg Ball (R-Patterson) again demanded that members of the State Legislature return to Albany to enact a property tax cap measure.
“While Speaker Silver and the Assembly Democrats are enjoying their summer vacation at the expense of taxpayers, New Yorkers face the one of the worst fiscal crisis’s since the 1970s, due to our bloated budget and wasteful spending,†Ball said. “I sounded the alarm when I voted against the budget in March, which increased spending at twice the rate of inflation.â€
Governor Paterson is expected to appear on television statewide this evening to explain the State’s current dire fiscal straights, and to request an emergency session of the State Legislature to pass a property tax cap.
While Assemblyman Ball has fought tooth and nail to reign in out of control spending and enact a tax cap, Ball’s opponent has ardently opposed a tax cap, and even criticized the State Budget for not spending enough. Although Ball’s opponent seems eager to join Speaker Silver’s “War on Taxpayers,†it is expected that tonight Governor Paterson plans to chastise the very Assembly Democrats the failed Brewster Mayor hopes to join. The Governor’s criticism stems from the fact that, despite New York State taxpayers desperate need for tax relief, the Assembly, unlike the State Senate, has no plans to return for an emergency session to enact a property tax cap. Yesterday, it was reported that Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver stated that not only does he have no plans to return to Albany, but he has no plans to make plans to call the house back into session. The State Senate is expected to return to Albany next week, with the specific intent of enacting a property tax cap.
The idea of a property tax cap originated in the Assembly Republican’s Property Taxpayers’ Protection Act, of which Ball is a sponsor. Specifically, the bill would put in place a cap on property tax annual growth at 4 percent, or the rate of inflation (whichever is less). The bill also allows local communities to exceed the cap with a 2/3 majority public vote. The omnibus legislation also includes mandate relief for local governments and school districts.
A recent study conducted by the independent State Commission on Property Tax Relief recommended that the State enact a property tax cap and this initiative has also been supported by over 70 local governments statewide, Governor Paterson, and the majority of New York State homeowners (according to recent polls).
E.J McMahon, of New York’s Empire Center, said, during a radio interview today, that “What we need to do now is undo that (excessive spending), because the $5 billion budget gap that was being projected in May, which the Governor no doubt will announce today is worse, that gap was entirely due, almost entirely due, to projected increases in base-line spending.â€
“Something must be done, and while it should have been done yesterday, there is still time to fix Albany’s out of control spending habits,†Ball added. “I am prepared to return to Albany at a moment’s notice to pass real property tax reform and hope that the Speaker will do the right thing for our state’s taxpayers and call the house back into session.â€
| 
Email This
Advertisements
A perfect example of why Assemblyman Greg Ball will be reelected in November.
Look, the property tax cap is wrong and it’s not going to help anyone other than politicians get elected on a lie.
It’s an acquiescence to wealthy campaign contributors who fear, more than anything, a return to a graduated income tax where they will have to pay more in state taxes than they do now.
Back in the Rockefeller days the highest earning New Yorkers paid 15% in state taxes. Now they pay around 7%, minus their shelters and deferred incomes. How much do you pay on your $35,000 a year earnings? 6.8%? And those making $3,500,000 also pay just about the same. And through no fault of yours, the property you bought 20 years ago is now worth more than you could ever afford to buy, and you’re taxed on it as if you could.
Once the graduated income tax is in place we can shift funding of education off of property and on to income – where it belongs. THAT will help wage earners lower their tax burden and ensure a good education for students across the state.
It’s the right way to go. It’s the fair way to go and that’s why Albany will not allow it.
Don’t be fooled by caps and circuit breakers. They’re only in place because Albany doesn’t have the chutzpah to do what’s right.
The Greg Ball flight song:
So long, farewell
Auf Weidersehen, goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye!
Ball: for tax cap. Degnan: Against. The choice is clearer to me now then ever, I could care less how annoying Ball’s robocalls are, or how crass Degnan comes off as. Ball stands for immediate property tax relief, Degnan does not.
“The idea of a property tax cap originated in the Assembly Republican’s Property Taxpayers’ Protection Act, of which Ball is a sponsor”
along with 21 other people.
Undecided,
Where do you see immediate tax relief? My school district had nowhere near a 4% increase last year. Most around me didn’t either. It’s typical Ball smoke and mirrors.
Where do you live, Undecided, on a houseboat?
Ball called our last assemblyman a “professional politician†and a “good old boy†who voted 90% of the time with Sheldon Silver the Democrat Speaker of the Assembly. Ball knew those accusations to be lies, but also was aware the local press could be relied upon not to check the facts on his predecessors voting records. Ball by his aggressive campaign of lies replaced the great representation the district had in Willis Stephens, Jr..
Here is what the district had before Ball went to Albany.
Will Stephens was the Minority Pro Tempore, the second in command of the Republican leadership, and director of floor operations for the minority. He is a skilled attorney, who wrote, personally, much of the legislation that the minority introduced on the floor of the Assembly. He was not a “professional politician†as Ball accused, but was a successful attorney in private practice. Stephens had previously been counsel to the majority in the New York State Senate, and as such was directly responsible for policy and the drafting of legislation related to it. Stephens, a home owner, is married with three children, and was well aware of the tax burden working families in the district were facing and continue to face. He fought for property tax relief, and was successful in doing so. As second in command in the Assembly minority, Stephens was able to negotiate with the leadership of the majority, and in being a position to do so, advanced Republican legislation and principles. One has to understand that Democrat assembly members out number Republicans by 2-1, of the 150 assembly seats only 42 are Republican. What influence the 99th had at the time Stephens was the assemblyman was totally lost when Ball defeated him.
Here is what the district got in electing Ball:
Ball now is a “professional politicianâ€; it is his only job, and he is a backbencher. Ball is totally disliked on both sides of the isle, by Republican and Democrat alike. He spent the prior two years to his election working for Exceed International. But even though he was employed full time as an executive of the company, he was able to knock on “10,000†doors running for the job he now holds. It appears that he received a full time salary from the company, but spent most of his time running for election to the assembly. Nice work if you can get it. Sounds like an illegal campaign contribution to me, but then again I may be naïve. Remember he ran the campaign for those two years while being employed by Exceed. He was all over the district, at every event, at every occasion, at “10,000†doors. When did he have time to work for Exceed? What did he do for Exceed? What projects did he direct? What revenues and contracts did he produce for the company? His campaign literature was devoid of such minor things.
Ball states in his current campaign literature that he was sponsor of 17 pieces of legislation that passed during his first term in the assembly. That is easily verifiable, and again he relies on a compliant press to not verify his claims. If one checks, in fact, far less has been passed with his name on it. If a search is run, one will quickly see, that Ball only has 8 pieces of legislation with his name on it. 3 pieces contain every assembly members name as co-sponsor( Democrat and Republican), and 5 pieces of legislation were DEMOCRAT introduced bills. In the minority, and a first term backbencher, Ball is totally ineffectual. His claims are preposterous and foolish, and he relies on an uninformed public to believe him, and a compliant local press to not do their homework.
To the voters of the 99th A.D. please do not repeat the mistake of 2006. Turn Ball out of office. Elect Degnan!
Governor Patterson will be calling the Legislature back to Albany in August to address the looming budget crunch and greater-than-expected deficit. I can assure you that passing a “tax cap” in the manner described by Ball will NOT be on the agenda. Typical Ball smoke and mirrors. This guy doesn’t know the first thing about how a budget works or how our tax system can be fixed. Let me ask a simple question, if the State imposes a local real property (school) tax cap, where is the revenue going to come from to meet the revenue loss to the school districts? The answer to that is simple. The State will have to step up its share of contribution to the local school districts (aid to education). That’s good, right? Ok, then, where’s the State going to get the money to fill the revenue gap to the school districts? You guessed it! Taxes and fees. Not property taxes, but from income and business taxes. This would be fine, but we just heard Governor Patterson describe a $6 BILLION dollar deficit. So, before the State starts paying the schools the first dollar lost from the “tax cap”, we have to find enough money to close the budget gap. That is a pretty TALL order when you are talking about SELLING state assets to raise “one shot” revenue – wanna buy a bridge? This reminds me of the voodoo budgeting that Mario Cuomo was so good at—- until the voters said ENOUGH! I think we are drinking the koolaide if we think Greg Ball has the right perscription. I’m sorry we can’t bring back Will Stephens, Jr. (heck I’d take Will Stephens Sr.), but one thing is for sure, Ball is a disaster … I’m voting for Degnan TWICE.
Oh, and another thing, Ball touts his opposition to raising the sales tax in Putnam County as an “accomplishment” and how he “bucked the old guard”. The Bill ultimately passed the Assembly despite Ball’s protestations and whining. Well guess what Greg, if the County wasn’t allowed to raise the sales tax, every property owner in Putnam County would have been staring at a 66% increase in their PROPERTY TAXES! We would have YOU to thank for that. Do you own property and pay taxes? This kid talks out of BOTH sides of his mouth. Its easy to say you don’t like taxes Greg, but you can’t have it both ways. If you want to make a good public servant, start using your head! Better yet, keep showing your stupidity—DUMP BALL
I find it interesting that Ball includes only a snippet of E.J. McMahon’s statement in his own. Why? Because E.J. McMahon, a well known fiscal conservative, is very much AGAINST the property tax cap. It is NOT the answer to NY’s fiscal crisis. I ask Greg Ball – why not a SPENDING cap for the State Government? Why put all the onus on school districts when the State’s budget is far more bloated? His lone “no” vote on the state budget is not even close to being effective.
To Undecided.Till Now. – I would suggest you do a little more homework on the issue rather than take Greg Ball’s word on where John Degnan stands on the issue. A lot of fiscal experts say that a property tax cap is not going to save taxpayers any money. In fact, it is rightly pointed out in other comments that it guarantees a 4% tax increase every single year. Congrats on being fooled by Greg Ball. At least you still have time to re-think your vote before primary day.