Statement From Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan

For months, we have sounded the alarm about a federal proposal to eliminate the state and local tax deductions and highlighted the negative impact such a move would have on New York taxpayers.

In April, I issued a statement voicing my grave concern with this proposal, while reiterating my steadfast support for meaningful tax cuts that would help New Yorkers better make ends meet.

Since then, I have been in contact with our federal representatives and strongly urged them to reject this idea, a position I laid out in great detail in a letter to New York’s entire congressional delegation this summer.

After months of discussion and debate in Washington, I feel even more strongly today that any final tax plan that strips away our ability to deduct state and local taxes is a bad deal for New York.  This is not a partisan issue - - it is an issue of fundamental fairness that will greatly affect the quality-of-life for millions of middle-class taxpayers. 

As a state, we already send significantly more to the federal government than we receive in return.  And, despite the gains we have made at the state level, New Yorkers still pay too much in taxes. 

New York taxpayers need and deserve real relief, not another tax obligation.  I strongly urge the President and Congress to enact real tax cuts and to protect the hardworking people who live here.