STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Assemblymember Charles Fall and state Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton on Wednesday pushed back against Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s suggestion that the city may need to raise property taxes to balance its budget.

Both Fall and Scarcella-Spanton unequivocally rejected the latter funding option during a Wednesday afternoon press conference outside the home of Cathy and Neil Anastasio, president of the Forest Regional Residents’ Civic Association, in West Brighton.

Scarcella-Spanton, also a Democrat representing the North Shore and part of Brooklyn, echoed Fall’s sentiment, noting how her constituents are already struggling with costs. She also took time to criticize the “fundamentally broken” property tax system.

“We need to fix the disparities in the tax code that benefit some neighborhoods on the back of Staten Islanders,” Scarcella-Spanton said. “Homeowners in Manhattan and brownstone Brooklyn shouldn’t be taxed at a lower effective rate than Staten Islanders, who already shoulder the burden of higher property taxes than we should.”

She explained that the Property Tax Commission has already given suggestions that would lower Staten Island residents’ property taxes by a “substantial amount,” but “for whatever reason” they have yet to be implemented.

Both Fall and Scarcella-Spanton expressed confidence that the city does not need to burden residents with a property tax rate increase, noting that the city did not need to resort to such a drastic measure during the COVID pandemic and the migrant crisis.

Scarcella-Spanton pointed to reserves and explained that the city needs to examine its budget and take a look at what funds are available to bridge the gap. According to Fall, during the COVID pandemic and the migrant crisis, the “Rainy Day Fund” remained intact.

The state senator believes that “we should get a real good audit from the city to see what went astray.”

“Again, I don’t know if this is outsized spending or trying to fit the promises from the last election. I’m not fully sure yet, but I know that there has to be a better path forward. If affordability is at the top of everybody’s agenda, raising people’s property taxes is the opposite of what we should be doing right now” she added.

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