SENATOR ALESI: New York’s Taxpayers Deserve Their Refund Checks – “It’s Your Money”

James S. Alesi

February 25, 2010

    Senator Jim Alesi (R-Perinton), is co-sponsoring legislation in the New York State Senate that would require the State to process Individual Taxpayer Returns in a timely manner and promptly send out refunds. “It is unconscionable that the Governor would even consider delaying the return of taxpayer’s money to them,” said Senator Alesi.

    The Senate Republicans have taken steps to put Bill S3985 on the floor for a vote. This bill would require the New York State Department of Taxation to pay any refund due within 30 days of receiving the tax return. Such timeframe provides for the review of the tax return submitted to ensure accuracy, while making payment to an individual taxpayer in a timely manner, without undue delay. If the Department fails to do so, they would be required to pay the taxpayer interest at the rate of six percent per annum.

Senator Alesi continues to fight against existing programs that allow the Governor to engage in such a money grab for New York’s taxpayers. The Governor’s actions would require taxpayers to involuntarily loan their money to the state without compensating the individual taxpayer for such borrowing. He stated, “Unfortunately, the Governor continues to push the pain onto local taxpayers by proposing delay in tax return payments. This is absolutely unjust, since we are living with his monstrous budget that was imposed on hardworking taxpayers nearly a year ago.”

    The New York State Assembly has a similar bill in its chamber awaiting vote. “It is time for the Legislature to act in a bi-partisan way to protect the taxpayers we are elected to serve,” said Senator Alesi. He is calling on his colleagues to pass this legislation as soon as next week.



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