New state laws taking effect in 2012

By Sen. Tom Libous


A number of new state laws take effect in 2012. Some are as important as the Property Tax Cap; Middle Class Tax Cuts or outlawing texting while driving. Others are as simple as how many rods you can use while fishing.

The laws I’m particularly proud of give you a more efficient, more effective government that can better control spending while providing important public services.

Here are some of them:


BETTER GOVERNMENT

Property Tax Cap (S.5856) – Municipal governments and school districts must keep their tax increases below 2 percent unless they have approval from 60 percent of the voting body that approves budgets.

Story Continues Below

Middle Class Tax Cut and Flood Relief (S.1 and S.2 of Extraordinary Session) – Working with Governor Cuomo, we reached an agreement on a jobs plan to create thousands of jobs, a middle class tax cut to reduce taxes for 4.4 million New Yorkers and provide an extra $50 million in flood relief.

Mandate Relief (S.5856) – Laws were amended to help communities and school districts save up to $125 million a year. Some of the changes allow:

Communities to share equipment, materials and services.

Up to three small school districts to share a single superintendent.

Agencies to file state reports electronically, rather than hard copy.

Local governments to piggyback on state authority to buy electricity, information technology, software and other items at a lower cost.


SAFER ROADS

TO READ THE FULL STORY

The Evening Sun

Continue reading your article with a Premium Evesun Membership

Subscribe



Comments

There are 0 comments for this article

Leave a Reply

Please Login to post a comment.