Int. No. 1765
By Council Members Rosenthal and Kallos
A Local Law in relation to the establishment of a commission to study and recommend reforms to the city’s property tax system
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Establishment of the commission. On January 1, 2030, and on each January first every fifteen years thereafter, there shall be established a property tax reform commission to evaluate and propose reforms regarding the real property tax system for the city of New York.
§ 2. Composition of the commission. a. Each commission shall consist of nine members, who shall be appointed jointly by the mayor and the speaker of the council and who shall serve without composition. Two of the appointees shall be the commissioner of finance and the director of the council finance division, or their designee. No appointee, at the time of their appointment, may be employed in such a capacity that they represent an individual, group of individuals, or entity that has a direct interest in the reform of the real property tax system, nor may they be a registered lobbyist as that term is defined in subdivision (a) of section 3-211 of the administrative code of the city of New York.
b. One of the members who is not serving ex-officio shall be jointly designated by the mayor and the speaker of the council as the chairperson of the commission.
c. Any vacancy in the membership of the commission occurring after such date shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. A vacancy in the commission shall not impair the right of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of the commission.
§ 3. Commission mandate and powers. a. Each commission shall consider all aspects of the real property tax system and propose reforms, where necessary. The commission shall:
1. analyze the real property tax system with respect to equity, efficiency, transparency, ease of administration, and compliance;
2. identify any limitations of the real property tax system;
3. evaluate the necessity and efficacy of existing tax expenditures;
4. examine the transparency and public understanding of the real property tax system generally and as it impacts individual taxpayers; and
5. review and consider any other matter the commission deems relevant to the improvement of the real property tax system.
b. Each commission shall utilize staff from the department of finance, or other appropriate mayoral staff or council staff, to assist with research and the preparation of evaluations, reports, and proposed legislation that it deems necessary to effectuate its purposes.
c. Each commission shall conduct at least two public hearings in each borough to receive comments and proposals to reform the city’s property tax system.
d. Each commission shall issue a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council no later than November 1 of the year in which such commission was established, and shall simultaneously post such report on the city’s website. Each report shall include, but not be limited to:
1. an analysis of the efficiencies and deficiencies of the real property tax system as identified by the commission;
2. the commission’s recommendations for the reform of the city’s property tax system, including a fiscal estimate of each recommendation;
3. an analysis of the impact of the commission’s recommendations on the amount of tax paid by property owners based on geography, tax class, and any other category identified as relevant by the commission;
4. any proposed state or local legislation necessary to accomplish the recommended reforms; and
5. a proposed timetable for the implementation of such reforms.
§ 4. Dissolution. Each commission shall dissolve upon submission of the report required by this section.
§ 5. Effective date. This local law takes effect immediately.
RKC
LS # 6463
04/23/2019