Dear Albany,

Our cities, towns, and villages have been cutting vital services like police, fire, and sanitation while putting off much-needed infrastructure investments.

The current “tax freeze” proposal will only exacerbate the problems we face on a daily basis. We do not believe the $1 billion property tax freeze as proposed in the Executive Budget is practical.

Local governments have been sharing services and consolidating where appropriate for years. We have taken extensive steps to curtail spending -- without hurting the good government services our communities expect.

Aid and Incentive to Municipalities (AIM revenue sharing) is down 75% since 1980 (in inflation-adjusted dollars). School districts and our cities, towns and villages are struggling to provide basic services to residents. Local budgets have been stretched to the limit, reserve funds have been depleted and services have been streamlined.

Tight budgets have already forced the sharing of services and consolidation of departments as we routinely look for ways to provide the services our communities expect and deserve. Local officials and our constituents keep a close eye on government finances, providing a high level of scrutiny.

We urge you to reject forced property tax freezes and forced consolidation and mergers.

Sincerely,

  1. Alexis B. Keith, Alderman, City of Hudson Ward 4
  2. Ali Muhammad, Beacon City Councilman, Ward 4
  3. Alison MacAvery, Dutchess County Legislator
  4. Alison McLean Albany County Legislator
  5. Allen Maikels, Councilman Town of Guilderland
  6. Angie Carpenter, Suffolk County Treasurer
  7. Ann Apicella, Troy BOE Member
  8. Ann E. Perry, Poughkeepsie City Council
  9. Ann M. Berger, Huntington Library Board Trustee
  10. Ann Scolnick, Huntington Library Board Trustee
  11. Anne Wager-Rounds, Troy BOE Member
  12. Annette Lafallo, Councilmember, City of Lackawanna
  13. Annie Rabbitt, Orange County Clerk
  14. Barry R. Fertel, New RochelleCityCouncil
  15. Bill McKenna, Town of Woodstock Councilman
  16. Bob Daraio, Ossining Trustee
  17. Brendan Coyne, Mayor, Village of Cornwall-On-Hudson
  18. Brian Miller, School Board Member, Johnstown CSD
  19. Bryan Clenahan, Albany County Legislator
  20. Carl Hendrick, Port Jervis Councilmember
  21. Carol Harvin, School Board Troy City SD
  22. Carrie Andrews, Minority Leader, Monroe County Legislature
  23. Cathy Fahey, Albany Common Councilmember
  24. Chad Joseph, Volpe, Mount-Hope Town Supervisor
  25. Cheryl L. Teets, Port Jervis Councilwoman
  26. Chris Eachus, Orange County Legislator
  27. Christopher Marx, New Paltz Superintendent of Highways
  28. Chuck Henry Village Trustee and Deputy Mayor Village of North Syracuse
  29. Craig Apple, Sheriff, Albany County
  30. Daniel G. Torres, New Paltz Town Council
  31. Daniel Herring Common Councilmember Albany
  32. Darius Shahinfar - Albany City Treasurer
  33. David Donaldson, Ulster County Legislator
  34. David Dukler, Town of Gardiner Councilman
  35. Diane McCord, Town of Espous Councilwoman
  36. Don A. Moore, Common Council President, Hudson
  37. Don Hartill, Mayor Village of Lansing
  38. Donald Dabiew, Franklin County Legislator
  39. Donald Peck, St.Lawrence County Legislator 5th District
  40. Dorothy Goosby, Councilwomen Town Of Hempstead
  41. Doug Bullock, Albany County Legislator
  42. Edward Russo, Alderman Amsterdam
  43. Elaine Fernandez, Rhinebeck Town Board
  44. Elizabeth Denio, Troy BOE Member
  45. Elizabeth Spinzia, Town of Rhinebeck, Supervisor
  46. Ellen Anadio, City Councilmember, Gloversville
  47. Elliott Auerbach, Ulster County Comptroller
  48. Eugene Hart, West Seneca Town Councilman
  49. Fran Enwright, City Council, City of Oswego
  50. Francena Amparo, Dutchess County Legislator
  51. Fred Larson, Chautauqua County Legislator
  52. Fred Morrill, St.Lawrence County Legislator District 6
  53. Gene Benson, Sullivan County Legislator
  54. Geoffrey M. Szymanski - Mayor of Lackawanna
  55. George Mansfield, Beacon City Council
  56. Gerald McQuade, Monroe Town Council
  57. Gina Burnett Elmont LibraryBoard Trustee
  58. Gloria Fried, Ossining Receiver of taxes
  59. Gwen Johnson, Dutchess County Legislator
  60. Hector S. Rodriguez, Ulster County Legislator
  61. Helen Hudson, Syracuse Common Council, At-Large & Majority Leader
  62. Herbert J. Engman, Town Supervisor, Ithaca
  63. Hilda Lando, Steuben County Legislature
  64. Janet Keefe, Chautauqua County Legislator
  65. Janice Lanzarotta, Asst. Budget Officer & Bookkeeper Town of Olive
  66. Jeanette Provenzano, Ulster County Legislator
  67. Jeremy Wilbur, Town of Woodstock Supervisor
  68. Jim Sofranko, Town of Olive Town board
  69. Joe O'Brien County Legislator, Albany County
  70. Joe Rizzo, Village of Scotia Trustee
  71. Joel Tyner, Dutchess County Legislator
  72. John Carmello, Superintendent of Schools, Troy
  73. John Kirkpatrick, White Plains Common Council
  74. John Lumia, Wappingers CSD BOE
  75. John M. Becker, Chairman Madison County Board of Supervisors
  76. John Merwin, Town of Northeast Supervisor
  77. Joseph Hauryski, Steuben Co Legislator
  78. Joseph Lightfoot, St. Lawrence County Legislator District 3
  79. Joseph Rich, Poughkeepsie Common Council
  80. Judith Bosworth, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor
  81. Julie McDonnell, Niskayuna Town Board Member
  82. Kathleen M. Kinsella, Rhinebeck Superintendent of Highways
  83. Kathy Luz Herrera, Tompkins County Legislature, District 2
  84. Kerin Rigney, Town of Dewitt Board Member
  85. Kevin Hines, Orange County Legislator
  86. Kevin P. Cunningham, Port Jervis Councilman
  87. Kimberly Davis. Clinton County treasurer
  88. Kris Kastberg, Mayor, Village of Scotia
  89. Landra B. Haber, Town of Chatham Town Board
  90. Laura Curran, Nassau County Legislator
  91. Leah Golby Albany Common Councilmember
  92. Linda R. Ervin, Onondaga County Legislator, District 17
  93. Livingstone Young, Elmont Public Library Board Trustee
  94. Manna Jo Greene, ulster County legislator
  95. Marie Schadt, Oswego County Legislator 19th District
  96. Marion Porterfield. Schenectady City Council
  97. Mark Grozio, Niagara County Legislator
  98. Mark Scimone, County Administrator Madison County
  99. Martha Walsh, Troy BOE Member
  100. Martin Masterpole, Syracuse City Auditor
  101. Mary Breining, Cortlandt Receiver of Taxes
  102. Matt Turnbull, Orange County Legislator
  103. Melissa Bonacic, Orange County Legislator
  104. Michael Conners, Albany County Comptroller
  105. Michael G. O'Connor, Ossining Highway Superintendent
  106. Michael H. Zurlo, Sheriff Saratoga County
  107. Michael Kelly, Plattsburgh City Councilor, Ward 2
  108. Michael LoCurto, Buffalo Councilman
  109. Michael McLaughlin, Oswego City School Board Member
  110. Michael Paduch, Orange County Legislator
  111. Michael Queenan, Mayor of Woodbury
  112. Mike Lynch, Council Member, City of Oneonta
  113. Mike Todd, City of Oswego Councilor 3rd Ward
  114. Mimi Pierre Johnson, Elmont Public Library Board Trustee
  115. Mitchell Levinn, Mayor of the Village of East Nassau
  116. Monica Williams, Onondaga County Legislator 16th District
  117. Monique Hardial, Elmont Public Library Board President
  118. Noah Sorkin, New Castle Town Justice
  119. Noelle Kinsch Albany County Legislator
  120. Owen Steed, Niagara County Legislator
  121. Pat Burke, Erie County Legislator
  122. Patricia Body, President of the Syracuse School Board
  123. Paul D'Amico, City of Geneva Councilman
  124. Paul Joseph, Highway Superintendent, Moreau
  125. Paul Ruszkiewicz, Orange County Legislator
  126. Peggy Chase, Onondaga County Legislator 9th District
  127. Peggy Ross, Beacon City Council
  128. Peter Parsons, Lewisboro Supervisor
  129. Philip J. Roder, Town of Stephentown Town Council
  130. Preston Jenkins, Supervisor, Town of Moreau
  131. Rachelle Armstrong, Plattsburgh City Council Member
  132. Ralph Signoracci, Councilman Cohoes
  133. Richard A. Gerentine, Ulster County Legislator
  134. Rick Davis, Mayor, City of Tonawanda
  135. Robert E. Hall, Clinton County Legislator, Area Ten
  136. Robert Rubin, Wappingers CSD BOE
  137. Robin Wentworth, City Councilmember, Gloversville
  138. Ronald Bailey, City Councilman, Albany
  139. Roseanne Sullivan, Orange County Legislator
  140. Ruth Hopkins, Councilmember, Town of Lansing
  141. Sam Tripp, Oswego (V.P.) City School Board Member
  142. Sara Idleman, Greenwich Supervisor
  143. Scott Sutherland, St.Lawrence County Legislator District 7
  144. Shannon Wong, Orange County Legislator
  145. Shawn Morse, Chairman, Albany County Legislature
  146. Shawn Walker, City Council, City of Oswego
  147. Shawn Walker, City Council, City of Oswego
  148. Sheila Meegan, West Seneca Town Supervisor
  149. Stephanie Miner Mayor of City of Syracuse
  150. Stephen Keefe, Mayor of Fredonia
  151. Sylvia B. Rozzelle, Supervisor Town of Olive
  152. Tammie S. Williams, Elmont Public Library Board Trustee
  153. Thomas Gifford, Village of Scotia Trustee
  154. Tom Mayo, Troy BOE Member
  155. Tom Wood, Council Member, Town of Plattsburgh
  156. Ved Shravah, Wappingers School DistrictBOE Chairman
  157. Viviana Russell, Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman
  158. William R. Hanauer, Village of Ossining Mayor

Local Resolutions Against the Property Tax Freeze:

Tompkins County Legislature Adopted Resolution Number 2014-47

Madison County Board of Supervisors Resolution 7

Oswego County Board of Legislators

Fulton County

Clinton County