KINGSTON, NY - State Senator Michelle Hinchey, Assembly Member Sarahana Shrestha, and Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger today announced the introduction of the Ulster County for Fair Taxes Act — state legislation that would give Ulster County a new tool to reduce the tax burden on working families and homeowners. 

The proposed state law (S.10532/A.11460) would authorize Ulster County, through local law, to create an income-based surcharge on high-income residents, helping the county reduce reliance on property and sales taxes that currently hit lower and middle-income families the hardest. The surcharge would apply only to individuals earning above $200,000 and above $400,000 for joint filers. It would function as a 16.75% surcharge on the state income tax paid on income above those thresholds — not to total income. This would work out to be an approximately 1.5% tax on income above the threshold. Hinchey, Shrestha, and Metzger gathered at the Ulster County Office Building on Friday with Ulster County Legislators, including Abe Uchitelle (Majority Leader) and Jeff Collins (Ways and Means Chair), who are sponsoring the Home Rule request in the County Legislature.

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “We live at a time of unprecedented income inequality in which the ultra-wealthy pay lower tax rates than the average person, while seniors and working families struggle to afford their mortgages, utility bills, healthcare, and food. I’ve heard from neighbors across Ulster County who are doing everything right – from seniors living responsibly in their golden years to families working hard day in and day out – and yet they’re still struggling to afford to live here. We need creative solutions to protect our residents from being priced out of their community. We’ve put this legislation on the table to provide Ulster County with a new tool to make the local tax system fairer, make life more affordable for our neighbors who need relief most, and make it easier for people to stay in our community. I’m grateful to Assembly Member Shrestha, County Executive Metzger, and the Ulster County Legislature for their partnership on this issue at the local level.”

Assembly Member Sarahana Shrestha said, “When the wealthy don’t pay their fair share in taxes, the burden is unfairly borne by those who have less. This is exactly what we see happening in our state, as the number of millionaires and corporate profits grow while households making under $75,000 leave the state in droves; it’s also what we see happening in our localities, which are having to rely on increases on regressive taxes, such as sales and property taxes, to fund basic needs. The matter has been made infinitely worse by a federal administration that’s made severe cuts in healthcare and SNAP benefits, all the while giving a tax break that disproportionately benefits the rich. While I firmly believe New York State must tax the rich and invest in programs that increase the quality of life for New Yorkers, I’m proud to have Hudson Valley lead on the issue of wealth disparity, as I partner with County Executive Jen Metzger, the county legislature, and Senator Hinchey to do what’s right: make those who have more to spare pay a fairer share so that those who don’t aren’t breaking their backs.” 

“The deck is really stacked against working families and people living on fixed incomes, who can barely keep up with the rising costs of basic necessities, and on top of this have to shoulder a disproportionate share of the cost of funding essential government services,” said County Executive Jen Metzger. “We are asking the state for the authority to pursue an additional revenue option based on ability to pay, using the existing state income tax framework so it is easy to administer and fair to taxpayers. I want to thank Senator Hinchey and Assemblymember Shrestha for partnering with us to move this forward at the state level, as well as Ways and Means Chair Jeff Collins and Majority Leader Abe Uchitelle, who are sponsoring the Home Rule Request in the County Legislature. The extreme inequality in this country is out of hand, and this is a modest step we could take locally to contribute to a fairer system.”

Majority Leader of the Ulster County Legislature Abe Uchitelle said, “In Washington, they're handing tax breaks to billionaires and taking food off people's tables. In Ulster County, we're asking the highest earners to pitch in a little more so working families can finally catch a break. That's the choice."

Ulster County depends on property and sales taxes to fund essential county services, an approach that disproportionately burdens lower and middle-income residents. Today, 41% of renters and homeowners in Ulster County are severely cost-burdened, spending half their income or more on housing, and approximately one-third of working households struggle to afford basic necessities. By contrast, high earners pay a smaller share of their income through these regressive taxes. By authorizing a progressive, income-based local revenue option, this legislation recognizes that tax fairness means basing taxes on ability to pay.

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