Personally committed to helping seniors stay in their homes and ensuring that working families and young professionals can afford a home, Greg has been fighting for a property tax cap for 5 years. Even as an elected official, Greg spends many hours each week going door to door, personally meeting with voters and taxpayers, and he appreciates the pain hidden behind many of those doors. Sadly, the “American Dream” of homeownership has become a nightmare for many.
After a great deal of hard work, Greg is proud to say “Promise Made. Promise Kept!”
For Greg Ball, there was no more pressing issue than reviving the sagging economy and creating a more hospitable environment in the Hudson Valley for middle class New Yorkers, taxpayers and small business owners. With the historic passage of Greg’s 2% Property Tax Cap, a cap that Greg first introduced as New York’s “Taxpayer Bill of Rights” in the Assembly, this single piece of legislation will finally force the state government to deal with the mounting and crushing burden of unfunded mandates, while making the system more affordable and equitable for everyone.
Furthermore, Greg will continue his fight to freeze school taxes for seniors who are 65 and older, while also working to replenish and expand the STAR program. More than a year before the first Tea Party, Greg Ball hosted a tax revolt that led to a reduction in the proposed increase of sales and property taxes for local taxpayers. Greg also led the charge against the unfair Condo Tax and has been a solid advocate fighting for the repeal of the horrific MTA Payroll Tax.
Greg is fighting hard to deliver further tax relief, and this is how:
- Freeze School Taxes for Seniors: Senator Ball’s legislation seeks to remedy New York’s property and school tax crisis for seniors by establishing a capped property school tax rate for seniors. By coupling a circuit breaker and school tax freeze with the existing capped real property school tax rate, it will provide much needed financial relief to our senior citizens, working families and small business owners. On August 22, 2012, Senator Greg Ball unveiled his tax reform plan that includes a local option to freeze school taxes for seniors, a circuit breaker to tie what homeowners pay in property taxes to their ability to pay, comprehensive unfunded mandate relief and reforms to the Property Tax Cap, making it tougher to override. Greg continues to collaborate with his colleagues and the Governor to pass this important bill, S5052A.
- Tax Payer Bill of Rights: Greg’s legislation includes an all important State Spending Cap. This 2 percent cap on spending would help to ensure fiscal responsibility, and provide a better environment for economic growth and job creation.
- Constitutional Amendment to Help Prevent Tax Increases: This measure, supported by Senator Ball, would require a two-thirds “supermajority” vote for any tax hike — making it far more difficult to raise taxes.
- Easing The Tuition Burden on Middle Class Families: With Greg’s support, this legislation once enacted would peg existing tuition tax credits & deductions enacted in 2000 to the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI). The current tax deduction will increase from $10,000 to $13,820. The maximum credit would increase from $400 to $553.
- Small Business Jobs Credit: This plan would provide a 10% tax credit for hundreds of thousands of small businesses that have at least one employee, have business income of less than $250,000, and that file under the personal income tax. Investment in new jobs -$120 million. – 800,000 businesses impacted.
- A 20% Tax Cut for Our Local Businesses: This measure would cut the corporate tax rate for small businesses from 6.5% to 5.2%– an overall reduction of 20%. –Impacts over 200,000 small businesses / Investment in new jobs -$65 million.
- Lower Energy Taxes on Businesses: New Yorkers pay the third highest electricity rates in the country and 66% more than the national average. This is partly because one-quarter of electric bills go to pay state and local taxes. High energy bills discourage businesses from locating in New York, especially “new economy” firms, such as biotechnology firms, that need strict temperature controls. An Energy Tax Cut would accelerate the phase-out of this huge tax hike from 2014 to 2013. By cutting taxes earlier than previously scheduled, we will provide a major boost to New York’s economy.
As the Senator representing Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester Counties, Greg Ball will continue his fight for comprehensive school tax reform and immediate property tax relief, every day.