Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs legislation on Staten Island to provide Hurricane Sandy property tax relief

In Heritage Park, West Brighton, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signs tax relief bill for Hurricane Sandy homeowners who had to rebuild. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signing the tax bill. Looking on from left, are Borough President James Oddo, NYC Council President Melissa Mark-Viverito, Councilman Vincent Ignizio, Mayor Bill de Blazio, Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras, Councilman Steve Matteo and Councilwoman Debi Rose. (Staten Island Advance/ Irving Silverstein)

By Jillian Jorgensen | jorgensen@siadvance.com 

on May 29, 2014

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Thursday to provide more than $4 million in property tax relief for Hurricane Sandy victims who made repairs to their homes, at a ceremony on Staten Island's North Shore waterfront.

"To tax people on the changes to their home that they were forced to make because of a storm that was out of their control would literally add insult to injury - and that's not what this government is all about," Cuomo, a Democrat, said at the bill singing in Heritage Park, West Brighton.

The legislation provides an abatement to Hurricane Sandy victims, who because of a quirk in the state's property tax law, were faced with the potential of higher bills if they repaired or renovated their homes after Sandy. That's because rebuilding a home or improving it is not subject to the state's cap on how much property tax bills can increase each year.

"The Sandy tax is no more today," City Council Minority Leader Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore) said.

Ignizio, who has been pressing the issue for months cited the example of Great Kills resident Richard White, whose family did repair his bungalow after it was devastated by the storm and saw a property tax hike of 30 percent - "basically making their home unaffordable."

Mayor Bill de Blasio thanked Staten Island's elected officials for raising the issuing.

"They finally fought their way back from every devastation, every dislocation they experienced, only to find it was going to cost them something new," he said of homeowners.

The tax abatement - which will be passed in the City Council today following the governor's signature on the state bill - will take affect in time for July's tax bills..

"The Council believes this is an unintended consequence of the way the property tax law was designed," Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said. "This is exactly why the City Council will be passing legislation this afternoon to tackle this issue head on."