ALBANY — Strong pushback from CSEA and state legislators is spelling defeat for Albany Common Council’s commuter tax plan.
Albany Common Council members were looking to plug a severe structural deficit in the city budget and estimated an annual $15 million in revenue could come by imposing a 0.25% earnings tax on those who travel to Albany for work but do not live in the city.
Within seven days, from the time the common council announced and then approved the resolution in a 9-3 vote on Oct. 19, it was becoming clear that local legislators had no appetite for advancing the tax to the state level for necessary legislative approval.
CSEA got out in front of the scheme by working with state legislators representing Albany and leading on opposition in the media.
“CSEA recognizes that the City of Albany must address a severe structural deficit, but balancing the budget on the backs of dedicated public employees is wrong,” noted CSEA’s recent media statement.
“Working families are facing a cost-of-living crisis, yet every day, thousands of hardworking CSEA members travel to Albany to keep vital services running, support local businesses and drive the city’s economy in the process.
CSEA strongly opposes any nonresident tax on our members and urges the common council to work with the mayor and the state legislative delegation toward sane and equitable fiscal reform.”
Currently, there is no viable path for the legislation, as proposed, to advance, as state lawmakers have also opposed the tax plan. New York State Assemblymember Gabriella Romero, whose district includes the city of Albany, strongly rejected the proposed Albany commuter tax, calling the push “not serious policymaking.”
“I hope this is the end of this plan to tax members,” said CSEA Capital Region President Shana Davis. “CSEA members fought hard for recent contract gains and this proposal would wipe out those gains.”
— Therese Assalian