Senator Defrancisco Honors Pledge and Introduces Legislation

Senator John A. DeFrancisco (R-I-C, Syracuse) has introduced a bill that will allow public welfare officials to withhold rent from a landlord when real property taxes for the rental property have not been paid. (S-552)

In October of last fall, it was reported by the Syracuse Post-Standard that there were several landlords who were delinquent in payments of their real property taxes, yet were still receiving rent for public assistance recipients.  In fact, two landlords alone had delinquencies totaling more than $1 million.

When this information became public, Senator DeFrancisco promised to introduce legislation that would allow the state to withhold rent payments, while the property was tax delinquent.  Senator DeFrancisco has done what he promised.

 “A landlord who fails to pay property taxes should not be allowed to collect rent payments from taxpayer-funded welfare programs.  Our state cannot afford to allow tax-dodgers to get away with collecting money from the state, while ignoring their other tax obligations,” said Senator DeFrancisco.

This bill will now be referred to the Senate social services committee for consideration.