New York state taketh away. Then it giveth back.

Why is that worth celebrating?

On Tuesday afternoon, the governor’s office — which consistently generously hands out school aid to districts statewide — wants property owners to know they deserve a rebate. But instead of reducing costs, it is coming the only way you can expect from Albany. It is spending more.

Nearly 3 million New Yorkers across the state will receive over $2 billion in tax relief this summer and fall through New York’s School Tax Relief (STAR) program, the state projected.

“The start of summer is also the start of the STAR tax relief season for millions of New Yorkers,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “From tax credits and energy rebates to our expanded child tax credit and middle class tax cuts, we’re continuing to put more money back in New Yorkers’ pockets.”

What Hochul conveniently forgets to mention is, as one of the highest taxed states in the nation, a lot of money has already come out of residents’ pockets to allow the capital to approve a budget of more than $262 billion. Now that money is supposed to be coming back to us?

Sounds fishy.