New Yorkers can count on one tax rate to stay flat next year.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, positioning herself for a mayoral run next year, emphatically said yesterday she would not raise property-tax rates.
“Any proposals to raise property taxes as part of next year’s budget discussion are off the table. I am not going to consider raising property taxes,” Quinn said.
At a news conference earlier, she initially left herself some wiggle room, saying, “It’s simply way too early to be taking options off the table, although I will do everything in my power not to raise property taxes.”
But later in the day, she offered the stronger comments.
Property taxes are the only levy the city controls without Albany’s input, and Mayor Bloomberg would need Quinn’s support in order to raise them. He has not indicated he plans to increase them.
While Quinn pledged not to raise property-tax rates, there’s no guarantee individual tax bills wouldn’t go up because of the city’s complicated tax structure, which leads some bills to go up even when the rate stays flat.
Quinn made the commitment on property-tax rates while explaining why she has ditched her own 2009 proposal to increase the city’s income tax on New Yorkers making $300,000 or more.
She said she no longer supports that proposal, in part because Gov. Cuomo raised state income taxes on high earners.
She is trying to distinguish herself from three potential rivals for mayor: Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, who last week proposed a tax hike on those earning $500,000 or more; and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and city Comptroller John Liu, who want an extra tax on millionaires.
Former Comptroller Bill Thompson, too, has backed off his previous support for a tax on the highest earners.
Quinn also indicated she might support a higher luxury sales tax — something that is not presently being proposed.