THANK YOU SENATOR ANDREA STEWART COUSINS AND ASSEMBLYMAN ABINANTI

THE HOTEL TAX THAT WAS APPROVED EARLY THIS MORNING WILL GENERATE AS MUCH AS ONE MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO UNINCORPORATED GREENBURGH --HELPING US REDUCE PROPERTY TAXES

 

Another major victory for the Town of Greenburgh!  Thanks to the hard work and effectiveness of State Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins and Assemblyman Tom Abinanti the Senate and Assembly have approved legislation authorizing the town of Greenburgh and villages that have hotels within their limits to impose a 3% hotel/motel occupancy tax on guests.  Other municipalities in Westchester and around NYS and the county of Westchester have had a hotel tax for years.

 

How does this impact you?  If you reside in unincorporated Greenburgh the impact will be significant. We anticipate generating as much as a million dollars a year in new  revenue.  This will make it much easier for the town to continue to approve budgets that come under the New York State tax cap (we have never overridden the tax cap (unlike other municipalities, school and fire districts around the state).  Villages within the town that have hotels (Ardsley, Tarrytown, Elmsford, Dobbs Ferry will be getting a new hotel) will also benefit directly from the new revenue source.

 

The legislation goes to the Governor for his signature.  I want to thank Senator Cousins and Assemblyman Abinanti for their hard work. I was on the phone with both lawmakers many times this past week - getting updates--as late as close to midnight last night. Councilman Francis Sheehan also made numerous calls and watched the deliberations on the web from yesterday morning to the early morning hours today. Council members Diana Juettner, Ken Jones and Kevin Morgan also lobbied effectively for the legislation. This accomplishment was difficult to achieve. The Senate passed the legislation in the early morning hours today - when most of us were sleeping. 

 

We are fortunate to have an excellent relationship with our lawmakers in Albany. And look forward to working with Senator Cousins and Assemblyman Abinanti so we can continue to make Greenburgh a better place to live and work in.

 

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor