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. Laura Hackathorn, Village of Hamburg Trustee
  92. Leah Golby Albany Common Councilmember
  93. Linda R. Ervin, Onondaga County Legislator, District 17
  94. Livingstone Young, Elmont Public Library Board Trustee
  95. Manna Jo Greene, ulster County legislator
  96. Marie Schadt, Oswego County Legislator 19th District
  97. Marion Porterfield. Schenectady City Council
  98. Mark Grozio, Niagara County Legislator
  99. Mark Scimone, County Administrator Madison County
  100. Martha Walsh, Troy BOE Member
  101. Martin Masterpole, Syracuse City Auditor
  102. Mary Breining, Cortlandt Receiver of Taxes
  103. Matt Turnbull, Orange County Legislator
  104. Melissa Bonacic, Orange County Legislator
  105. Michael Conners, Albany County Comptroller
  106. Michael G. O'Connor, Ossining Highway Superintendent
  107. Michael H. Zurlo, Sheriff Saratoga County
  108. Michael Kelly, Plattsburgh City Councilor, Ward 2
  109. Michael LoCurto, Buffalo Councilman
  110. Michael McLaughlin, Oswego City School Board Member
  111. Michael Paduch, Orange County Legislator
  112. Michael Queenan, Mayor of Woodbury
  113. Mike Lynch, Council Member, City of Oneonta
  114. Mike Todd, City of Oswego Councilor 3rd Ward
  115. Mimi Pierre Johnson, Elmont Public Library Board Trustee
  116. Mitchell Levinn, Mayor of the Village of East Nassau
  117. Monica Williams, Onondaga County Legislator 16th District
  118. Monique Hardial, Elmont Public Library Board President
  119. Noah Sorkin, New Castle Town Justice
  120. Noelle Kinsch Albany County Legislator
  121. Norman Marsh, Chairman of the Cattaraugus County Legislature
  122. Owen Steed, Niagara County Legislator
  123. Pat Burke, Erie County Legislator
  124. Patricia Body, President of the Syracuse School Board
  125. Paul D'Amico, City of Geneva Councilman
  126. Paul Joseph, Highway Superintendent, Moreau
  127. Paul Ruszkiewicz, Orange County Legislator
  128. Peggy Chase, Onondaga County Legislator 9th District
  129. Peggy Ross, Beacon City Council
  130. Peter Parsons, Lewisboro Supervisor
  131. Philip J. Roder, Town of Stephentown Town Council
  132. Preston Jenkins, Supervisor, Town of Moreau
  133. Rachelle Armstrong, Plattsburgh City Council Member
  134. Ralph Signoracci, Councilman Cohoes
  135. Richard A. Gerentine, Ulster County Legislator
  136. Rick Davis, Mayor, City of Tonawanda
  137. Robert E. Hall, Clinton County Legislator, Area Ten
  138. Robert Rubin, Wappingers CSD BOE
  139. Robin Wentworth, City Councilmember, Gloversville
  140. Ronald Bailey, City Councilman, Albany
  141. Roseanne Sullivan, Orange County Legislator
  142. Ruth Hopkins, Councilmember, Town of Lansing
  143. Sam Tripp, Oswego (V.P.) City School Board Member
  144. Sara Idleman, Greenwich Supervisor
  145. Scott Sutherland, St.Lawrence County Legislator District 7
  146. Shannon Wong, Orange County Legislator
  147. Shawn Morse, Chairman, Albany County Legislature
  148. Shawn Walker, City Council, City of Oswego
  149. Shawn Walker, City Council, City of Oswego
  150. Sheila Meegan, West Seneca Town Supervisor
  151. Stephanie Miner Mayor of City of Syracuse
  152. Stephen Keefe, Mayor of Fredonia
  153. Sylvia B. Rozzelle, Supervisor Town of Olive
  154. Tammie S. Williams, Elmont Public Library Board Trustee
  155. Thomas Gifford, Village of Scotia Trustee
  156. Tim Nichols, Albany County Legislator
  157. Tom Mayo, Troy BOE Member
  158. Tom Wood, Council Member, Town of Plattsburgh
  159. Ved Shravah, Wappingers School DistrictBOE Chairman
  160. Viviana Russell, Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman
  161. William H. Eick, Majority Leader, Orleans County Legislature
  162. 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