Assemblyman John Lemondes unveiled a plan Wednesday that aims to reduce costs and improve affordability in Central New York, following Governor Kathy Hochul’s Tuesday State of the State address.
While the governor described the state as “strong,” Lemondes noted that approximately 731,000 children live below the poverty line, 20% of renter households across 50 counties spend more than half of their income on housing, and working families are cutting back on everyday essentials due to rising costs.
“Working families are being forced to live paycheck to paycheck, struggling to afford basic necessities like groceries, gas and child care, and that is simply unacceptable,” Lemondes said. “New York should be leading on this issue, not falling behind.”
Key elements of Lemondes’ affordability plan include:
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Inflation Relief & Consumer Assistance: Eliminate state sales tax for two years on dozens of everyday items, including gasoline, personal care products, housekeeping supplies, and prepared foods.
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Mobile Tax Freedom Act: Remove state and local sales, compensating use, and excise taxes on mobile telecommunications services.
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State Spending Cap: Limit state spending to the average rate of inflation over the past three years and expand the rainy-day fund.
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Legislative Requirement for Tax Increases: Constitutional amendment requiring a two-thirds vote of both the Assembly and Senate to raise, impose, or extend any state tax.
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Child Care Tax Credits: Double the existing child care creation and expansion tax credit from $25 million to $50 million per year and establish a new credit to help providers update facilities.
Lemondes said the plan is part of his ongoing focus on affordability and promises to continue fighting for policies that put money back into residents’ pockets.
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