Assemblyman Fitzpatrick Assemblyman
Michael
Fitzpatrick
Long Island’s Voice
for Fiscal Responsibility

Reckless Spending.
High Taxes.
Runaway Debt.
Fighting New York’s Relentless Quest to Gamble Away Our Future!
Saying "NO" to Special Interests
The Property Taxpayers Protection Act
  • CAP PROPERTY TAXES to save homeowners $1.5 billion this year;
  • REIMBURSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS for the entire costs incurred from 4th and 8th grade Math and English tests to save school districts $30 million this year and reduce the need to raise taxes;
  • ELIMINATE UNFUNDED MANDATES that force local cities, towns and schools to increase your property taxes to finance costly state programs;
  • DECREASE COUNTY MEDICAID COSTS by requiring the state, not local governments, to pay for the cost of non-essential medical services and save taxpayers $10 billion within 5 years; and
  • COMBAT MEDICAID FRAUD by providing local governments with computer software to investigate and save taxpayers $7.5 million this year.

Mortgaging Our Future
The truth behind the state’s reckless fiscal policy
photo New York’s debt has swollen to unsustainable levels due to reckless spending and borrowing and it is evident that the state can no longer rely on temporary fixes to long-term financial problems. Spending on state programs multiplies with each passing year, forcing the state to rely on treacherous borrowing practices and the shifting of costs to local governments in order to balance the escalating budget. Local municipalities pass down these costs to homeowners in the form of rising property tax bills. Assemblyman Fitzpatrick is standing up to special interests and fighting to cap school tax levies, eliminate unfunded mandates and provide taxpayers with meaningful relief.

New York’s Tax Crisis

Note: All statistics based on most recent data, the 2004-2005 fiscal year unless otherwise noted.

Overall State and Local Tax Burden: $5,768 per capita, highest in the nation.

Property Taxes: $1,773 per capita, highest in the nation per home value. In fact, nine of the ten highest taxed counties in the nation reside in New York. Suffolk County is ranked 12th highest.

Local taxes: $3,162 per capita, highest in the nation.

Gasoline taxes: $0.41 per gallon, 3rd highest in the nation.
 


Reckless Spending
and Runaway Debt

Combined State and Local Spending: $11,836 per capita, 2nd highest in the nation.

Public-Employee Pensions: Average benefit payment was $24,293 per recipient and 16 percent higher than the national average.* Taxpayers finance over 97 percent of employee pension benefits.

Number of Government Workers: New York has 62 government workers per 1000 residents, 14 percent higher than the national average.*

Education Spending: $14,119 per pupil, highest in the nation. Despite this spending, New York’s education system is ranked 16th.

Welfare Spending: $2,214 per capita, highest in the nation.

Debt Burden: $12,102 per capita, 3rd highest in the nation. Total debt to reach $53.7 billion in 2008-09.

* 2006 Census Bureau Data

The Fitzpatrick Record
checkmark Only member of the Legislature to vote "NO" against all state tax and fee hikes since his election to Assembly in 2002
checkmark Consistent voice for fiscal restraint by Voting "NO" on every state budget
checkmark Stood up to every special interest in the state by voting to uphold former Governor Pataki’s vetoes to over $11.6 billion in state spending
checkmark Introduced legislation to limit year-to-year increases to no more than the rate of inflation, increase the Tax Stabilization Fund, and require a two-year education funding plan to allow school districts and property taxpayers to plan ahead


Contact Assemblyman Fitzpatrick:
50 Route 111, Suite 202, Smithtown, NY 11787 •
(631) 724-2929 •
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