Senator Chris Jacobs’ Statement on Coronavirus Healthcare Volunteers Paying New York State Income Taxes

Senator Chris Jacobs issued the following statement today in response to news that out-of-state volunteer healthcare workers who travelled to New York to help fight the coronavirus at the height of the pandemic will be forced to pay New York State income taxes:

“Governor Cuomo’s insistence that thousands of brave and compassionate healthcare workers and volunteers that risked their lives to aid New York residents at the height of this pandemic must now pay New York State income taxes is not only shocking, but a horrible message to all who have been harmed by this crisis. 

Blaming this ridiculous policy on the state’s deficit, almost half of which was created by the Governor’s poor policy decisions and not the COVID-19 crisis, is extremely disingenuous.  Particularly since many of the volunteers were collecting paychecks from companies back in their home states.

We need to remember it was the Governor who asked people to come to New York State and place their lives and possibly the health of their loved ones at great risk.  It was the Governor who said come to New York and help save New Yorker’s lives and we will be forever grateful, never telling them they would also become victims of New York’s punishing tax burden.  The Governor needs to reverse this course of action immediately.”