Chaos and inertia in Albany are jeopardizing Mayor Bloomberg’s $400 tax rebate for Big Apple homeowners.
The Republican-controlled Senate yesterday agreed to end its six-month legislative session without giving the needed approval for the tax rebates, widely seen as a major centerpiece of Bloomberg’s re-election campaign.
Without approval from the state Legislature, the city cannot send out the rebate checks – which actually may be worth just $250 because they are subject to federal, state and local taxes.
Bloomberg’s tax rebate wasn’t the only thing that didn’t get done. The most ineffective legislative session in modern history was set to end last night with no budget, no school-financing plan for the city and no significant legislation passed.
Instead, Gov. Pataki and legislative leaders pointed fingers at each other, while 22 frustrated protesters were arrested after blocking the doors of the Capitol to symbolically call on lawmakers not to leave until their work is done.
Some of Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno’s Republican members said holding up Bloomberg’s tax rebate was linked to other issues. They’re upset the city would give rebates at the same time it is asking the state for billions of dollars more in education aid to meet a court order.
New York’s commercial real-estate interests, heavy contributors to Senate Republicans, were actively lobbying against the bill, saying they deserved relief after being hit with property-tax increases last year.
Bruno also admitted the pending school funding issue is giving him pause about whether to allow the Senate to act on the tax-rebate plan.
“It’s part of what we have to examine here, the equity to all the people of this state,” Bruno said.
Gov. Pataki, who supports the rebate, said he believes the necessary state approval will come.
Pataki aides said it’s legal for the city to include the rebates in its budget that goes into effect July 1 and then have the state approve when the Legislature returns to Albany later in the summer.
Bloomberg, who acknowledged he did not have a commitment from Bruno that the Senate would pass the measure, said it’s an “aberration of the law” that the city needs state approval in the first place.