It is said that the three most important considerations when purchasing property are "location, location and location", however, the three most important issues for Hudson Valley taxpayers are "property taxes, property taxes and property taxes".
Statistics show that New York ranks well above the national average when it comes to real property taxes, and New Yorkers are demanding relief. Many suggestions have been made over the years on how to provide real property tax reform, but there has been no consensus. While measures such as STAR are important, reform is critical to virtually all property owners.
As Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, I am keenly aware of the impact school property taxes have on a community. Under the current system, a homeowner's ability to pay is not the main factor used to calculate their property tax liability. Instead, education funding relies heavily on property tax assessments. And while certain school districts are partially funded through a variety of local taxes, real property taxes constitute the vast majority of local revenue raised to support school districts.
The Senate Majority has passed Senate Bill 6119, which combines a number of reform and relief proposals, the first two of which I introduced and was gratified that they were included in this omnibus bill:
- authorizes voters to determine if school property taxes on primary residences should be phased out over five years and be replaced with additional State funding,
- requires the State to fully fund any mandated program imposed on municipalities or school districts which creates an annual net additional cost in excess of $10,000 on any individual locality or school district, or a statewide net additional cost of $1 million or more,
- establishes a Blue Ribbon Commission on Property Tax Reform to study and recommend alternatives to the present education financing system,
- provides financial incentives to localities by tripling ($5 to $15 per parcel) the amount of aid the State provides to localities who reassess every three years,
- seniors who are over 65 and earn less than $100,000 would have their assessments frozen, thereby limiting the growth in their property tax bills. The State would then make up the financial difference to school districts and local governments.
Despite the State's historic STAR program, real property taxes continue to rise throughout New York. I recognize the need to provide relief to hardworking, overburdened taxpayers and urge the Assembly and the Governor to join the Senate to finally address a problem that has too long begged a solution.
Health Related Phone Numbers
Adelphi Univ. Breast Cancer Hotline 1-800-877-8077
NYS Commission on Quality Care & Advocacy for the Disabled 1-800-522-4369
AIDS Hotline 1-800-962-5065
ALS-NY Hotline 1-800-672-8857
Alzheimer's Association 1-800-272-3900
American Cancer Society Hot Line 1-800-227-2345
American Diabetes Association 1-800-342-2383
American Heart Association 1-800-242-8721
American Lung Association 1-800-586-4872
Arthritis Foundation Info Line 1-800-283-7800
Attorney General’s Healthcare Bureau 1-800-771-7755 X 3
Breast Cancer Options 845-339-4673
EPIC -- Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage Plan 1-800-332-EPIC
Help for Incontinent People 1-800-252-3337
Health Insurance Information Counseling & Assistance Program (HIICAP) 1-800-701-501
Hospicelink 1-800-331-1620
Long Term Care Information 1-888-697-7582
Lyme Disease Foundation 1-800-886-5963
Lyme Disease Info in Columbia County 518-828-3358
NYS Department of Health Information Numbers:
Child Health Plus 1-800-698-4543
Complaints on doctors 1-800-663-6114
Complaints on managed care 1-800-206-8125
Complaints on nursing homes 1-888-201-4563
Complaints on hospitals 1-800-804-5447
Family Health Plus 1-877-9FHPLUS
Healthy NY 1-866-432-5849
Patient Care Hotline 1-800-425-0320
Organ and Tissue Donation registry 1-877-752-3175
Smokers Quitline 1-888-609-6292
West Nile Virus information 1-800-458-1158
Cancer information 1-800-462-1884
Roswell Park Cancer Institute 1-800-685-6825
Certified home health care agency info 1-800-628-5972
Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Program 1-800-633-4227
NYS Office of Mental Health 1-800-597-8481
NYS Partnership for Long Term Care 1-888-697-7582
Ovarian Cancer Hotline 1-800-682-7426
Parkinson’s Disease Foundation 1-800-457-6676
Patient Assistance Program info 1-888-477-2669
Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222
General Information Phone Numbers
Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-342-3720
Columbia County Office for the Aging 1-518-828-4258
Counter Terrorism Tip Line 1-866-SAFENYS
Directory of Toll-free numbers 1-800-555-1212
Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-942-6906
Dutchess County Office for the Aging 1-845-486-2555
Federal Information Center 1-800-688-9889
Internal Revenue Service Helpline 1-800-829-1040
Internal Revenue Service (forms) 1-800-829-3676
I © New York hotel reservations in NYS 1-800-CALLNYS
Medicare and Medigap questions 1-800-MEDICARE
NYS Atty. Gen. Consumer Fraud Bureau 1-800-771-7755
NYS Banking Department:
Banking complaints 1-800-522-3330
Holocaust Claims Processing Office 1-800-695-3318
NYS Educ. Dept. Library for the Blind 1-800-342-3688
NYS Comptroller - Unclaimed Funds 1-800-221-9311
NYS Department of Taxation & Finance
Tax questions 1-800-225-5829
Tax forms 1-800-462-8100
NYS Division of Tax Appeals 1-518-266-3000
NYS camp site reservations 1-800-456-CAMP
NYS Sex Offender Registry 1-800-262-3257
NYS Insurance Department
Insurance complaints and questions 1-800-342-3736
Appeal for denial of healthcare services 1-800-400-8882
NYS Senior Citizens’ Hotline 1-800-342-9871
NYS Public Service Commission:
Cable television complaints 1-800-342-3330
Hotline - emergency gas, electric, phone and water complaints 1-800-342-3355
Helpline - non-emergency gas, electric, phone and water complaints
1-800-342-3377
Alternative Energy Hotline 1-888-697-7728
Green Power Hotline 1-866-476-7697
Senior Citizen Insurance Resource Ctr. 1-800-342-3736
Social Security Administration 1-800-772-1213
U.S. Veterans’ Administration 1-800-827-1000
NYS Division of Veteran’s Affairs 1-888-838-7697
Verizon Unlawful Call Center 1-800-518-5507
Useful Web Sites
www.senatorsaland.com [2] --- Senator Saland’s website
www.state.ny.us [3] --- New York State's web site with links to all state agencies
www.senate.state.ny.us [4] --- New York State Senate
www.aging.state.ny.us [5] --- NYS Office for the Aging
www.oag.state.ny.us/seniors/seniors.html [6] --- Attorney General’s housing guide for seniors
www.dhcr.state.ny.us/ahd [7] --- New York State Affordable Housing Directory
www.oag.state.ny.us/seniors/nursing.html [8] --- Attorney General’s guide to choosing a nursing home
www.hiicap.state.ny.us [9] --- Health Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program
www.nyagrx.org [10] --- Comparison of prescription drug prices in NY
www.ins.state.ny.us/cseniors.htm [11] --- senior Citizens Insurance Resource Center
www.nysdta.org [12] --- NYS Division of Tax Appeals
www.banking.state.ny.us/srvglos.htm [13] --- Home Equity & Car loan rates in New York State
www.nylottery.org [14] --- New York State Lottery
www.orps.state.ny.us [15] --- NYS Office of Real Property Services
www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us/nsor/index.htm [16] --- NYS Sex Offender Registry
www.ssa.gov [17] --- Social Security Administration
www.irs.ustreas.gov [18] --- Internal Revenue Service - questions, forms, etc.
thomas.loc.gov --- U.S. Congress
www.pueblo.gsa.gov [19] --- Federal Consumer Information Center
www.nps.gov [20] --- National Park Service
www.usps.gov/ncsc [21] --- US Postal Service with Zip Code look up
www.whitehouse.gov [22] --- The White House
www.alz.org [23] --- Alzheimer’s Association
www.medicare.gov [24] --- Medicare
www.healthfinder.gov [25] --- consumer health information
www.weather.com [26] --- weather for anywhere in the US
www.als-ny.org [27] --- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) Association of Greater NY
www.aarp.org --- American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
www.iloveny.com --- I © New York website - with on-line hotel reservations in NYS
www.clinicaltrials.gov --- information on clinical health trials
www.ins.state.ny.us/extapp/extappqa.htm [28]. --- NYS Insurance Dept. appeal for denial of health services
www.osc.state.ny.us [29] --- Office of State Comptroller - link to find Unclaimed Funds
www.nyspltc.org [30] --- NYS Partnership for Long Term Care
www.pparx.org [31] --- Information on patient assistance programs
www.adelphi.edu/nysbreastcancer [32] --- Adelphi Univ. Statewide Breast Cancer Support Program
www.breastcanceroptions.org [33] --- Breast cancer info and support for Hudson Valley residents
www.lymediseaseassociation.org [34] --- Lyme Disease Association
www.stopticks.org [35] --- Local Lyme Disease organization
www.hospitals.nyhealth.gov [36] --- NYS hospital profiles
www.nydoctorprofile.com [37] --- Info on doctors practicing in NYS
www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov [38] --- Info to compare the quality of hospital care
I recently hosted forums in both Dutchess and Columbia counties to increase awareness among my constituents about how they can better protect themselves from the growing crime of identity theft. As you may know, identity theft occurs when someone uses your name, Social Security number, date of birth, or other identifying information without authority, to commit fraud. If you suspect that you are the victim of identity theft, you can place a fraud alert or a credit freeze on your credit reports.
As was noted in Tuesday's Poughkeepsie Journal article, Patients offered fraud aid: Credit bureau to work with Vassar center, VBMC made an arrangement with TransUnion, to allow patients affected by the laptop theft to register for a fraud alert that will be extended from the usual 90 days to seven years. A fraud alert is a flag to the credit reporting agencies indicating that your identity may have been compromised. Simply call the toll-free fraud number of any one of the three major consumer reporting companies (Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; Experian: 1-888-397-3742; or TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289) and they will notify each other of your fraud alert.
A fraud alert, however, is different from a credit freeze. As of November 1, 2006, you may place a freeze on your credit report if you suspect your identity has been compromised. I am pleased to have co-authored and co-sponsored this important legislation, which will prohibit a credit reporting agency from releasing your credit report or rating to anyone, and will serve to block thieves who may be attempting to use your name to get credit, loans, or leases. I am also proud to have co-sponsored the security breach legislation requiring VBMC to notify persons affected by the laptop thefts.
In the interim, you can take the initiative and request copies of your credit history from one of the credit reporting agencies. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you specific rights when you are, or suspect that you are, the victim of identity theft. For more information, visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft [39].
While identity theft remains a concern, it is important to get the message out that consumers can become empowered by educating themselves about the critical importance of identity protection.
