Albany, NY – On Monday, April 15, Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne and County Legislator Erin Lee Crowley traveled to Albany to shine a light on New York State’s atrocious tax climate and shortcomings. Byrne highlighted a number of local initiatives aimed at reducing the tax burden on county residents, but also spoke of the need for tax reform from the State alongside Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), Ashley Ranslow, Director of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), and a number of Assemblymembers including Assemblyman Matt Slater.

For the 15th time in the past 17 years, New York State has once again ranked worst in the nation in economic outlook according to the 2024 issue of “Rich States Poor States.” State legislators shared some of their solutions for the state to adopt such as reducing state income tax, capping state spending and prohibiting backdoor borrowing, while Byrne shared his successes in reducing the tax burden during the county budget process for the first time in 25 years, reducing the property tax rate to its lowest point in 15 years, and controlling spending.

“We are working right now at the local level to improve our state’s economic outlook and change the culture of over taxation, obscurity, and spending in Putnam County and New York State,” said County

Executive Byrne. “Residents across our state have been shouldered with an ever-growing burden of taxation and they need every little bit of relief we can provide.”

"New York is currently the most heavily taxed state in the nation. Reducing the tax load on residents, enhancing transparency, and fostering a more business-friendly environment are objectives that must be taken at both the state and local levels," said Slater. "As a local town supervisor I cut town taxes twice and New York State should do the same. I was proud to stand with two tax cutters in County Executive Byrne and County Legislator Crowley to demand better from state lawmakers."

“It’s essential we continue to advocate for and work to pass meaningful tax cuts at the local and state level,” said Legislator Crowley. “Anything we can do to alleviate the tax burden on our residents and foster a more favorable economic environment should be explored.”

“Our nation’s tax rates are some of the highest in the world,” said Norquist. “Right now at the federal level, there are proposals to double in the capital gains tax, double the corporate tax rate, increase energy taxes, and it’s completely unsustainable. Because we’re in New York, it only gets worse. Meanwhile, there are 10 states where they have decided to pull the trigger on lowering or phasing out income taxes.”

“New York once again ranks dead last in economic outlook in our Rich State Poor States analysis,” said Williams. “New Yorkers shoulder the highest income tax, as well as the highest small business taxes. Of the many things that weigh New Yorkers down is the death tax. New York is one of the only states in the nation that taxes the transfer of assets to loved ones after you’ve passed.”

For the Rich States Poor States full 2023 report, visit https://www.richstatespoorstates.org/states/NY/