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Three area mayors endorse Cuomo’s Tax Fairness for New York campaign

OBSERVER Staff Report

Three area mayors are endorsing Gov. Cuomo’s Tax Fairness for New York campaign.

On Monday, Cuomo announced 65 mayors from across New York endorsed his Tax Fairness for New York Campaign: to combat the devastating impacts the destructive, partisan GOP federal tax law will have on New York. Local mayors include Willie Rosas of Dunkirk, Althanasia Landis of Fredonia and David Smith of Gowanda. Rosas and Landis are both registered Democrats. Smith is a member of the “Gowanda on the Move” Party. Sam Teresi of Jamestown and Cara Birriettieri of Lakewood, both Democrats, also endorsed the plan.

The mayors endorsed Governor Cuomo’s three-pronged effort to fight the federal tax assault on New York, as announced in his 2018 State of the State Address. The first step is the multi-state coalition to sue the federal government. The second prong of the effort is to launch a repeal-and-replace strategy, and the third prong is to explore the feasibility of a major shift in the structure of State tax policy.

“With the Tax Fairness for New York campaign we are fighting back against Washington’s federal tax assault on New York,” Governor Cuomo said. “I am proud to have the support of mayors across the state as we work together to mitigate the impacts of this plan and do everything we can to protect the rights and wallets of hardworking New Yorkers.”

To advance the state’s efforts to overhaul the tax code, and to generate the best ideas and solutions, New York State Budget Director Robert Mujica as well as other New York State representatives have been meeting with experts from state and local government, academia, and the private sector to obtain feedback and comment on the preliminary report released in January by the Department of Taxation and Finance. The report outlines options for state tax reform designed to mitigate the adverse impact of the federal legislation on our economy and on New Yorkers.

Earlier this month, Budget Director Mujica unveiled 30-day amendments to the FY 2019 Executive Budget, including legislation to create a new optional Employer Compensation Expense Tax system, create two new funds to accept donations to fund health care and education programs, and provisions to decouple the state tax code from the federal tax code.

Rosas said, “With this year’s budget, Governor Cuomo makes it clear that our state will not allow the federal government to bully and target the hard-working people of his state. New York’s leaders have worked tirelessly to ensure that folks who have started lives, families, businesses, and careers in New York state will not be forced out by taxes they simply cannot afford. This tax plan not only protects the wallets of New Yorkers, but it mitigates the unfair and misguided threats the federal tax plan imposes upon citizens across the state. I applaud the governor for his commitment to combating this devastating federal tax plan.”

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