Bonacic Offers Three Ideas to Help Reduce Tax Burden on Flooded Families

State Senator John J. Bonacic will propose three bills to give relief to citizens and local governments affected by Hurricane Irene. The first will allow assessment rolls for 2012 taxes for counties and towns to be modified (if the county approves) to reflect the value of their property on September 5, 2011. The second will allow school districts to authorize by resolution the partial payment of taxes without interest for those that were impacted by the flooding and need to make out of pocket payments as a result of the floods. The third will be to authorize and direct the State to pay the typical local share of 12.5% associated with disasters. 

“These are three measures the state and our local governments can take to help those most directly impacted by the flooding,” Senator Bonacic said. 

An August 30^th article in the Times Herald Record quoted Governor Cuomo as saying that Delaware, Ulster and Greene counties are the worst three impacted in the State. Senator Bonacic represents most of Ulster County, all of Delaware and Sullivan counties and part of Orange County. All four have been included in the President’s disaster declaration. 

Bonacic also praised those engaged in the cleanup effort. “The firefighters, EMS workers, utility crews, police, National Guard and others who have worked around the clock have our thanks. The Governor and his team have been tremendous as well. We should help those families who have suffered so much by lowering their tax burden and furthermore, enable them to pay their taxes in a more reasonable manner. This is one more step State government can take,” Senator Bonacic concluded. 

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