Reduce or Eliminate Taxes For Flood Victims

I was surfing for some firematic and flood articles and came across an interesting tidbit out of Albany. It reminds me of the comment Fulton Park Civic Association President Maria Gomez, made at the last Greenburgh Town Board meeting. In response to the ludicrous suggestion by Paul Feiner that maybe FEMA would purchase homes in the flood zone, she told the Board if they really wanted to help the victims of the flooding, lower their taxes! Well, along those same lines, a new legislative bill would exempt New York flood victims from state sales tax for their moving expenses and for purchases that replace clothing, appliances and other items.

The proposal by two upstate lawmakers — Assemblyman James Tedisco and Sen. Hugh Farley — would cover the sales tax on storage, furniture and other purchases large and small necessitated by the flooding damage caused by from tropical storms Irene and Lee. Why aren’t any of our local lawmakers, otherwise normally whores for publicity, offering the same type of relief?

Flood victims would be reimbursed for disaster purchases through a tax credit as long as they have receipts.

The bill could be taken up in January or earlier if the Legislature calls a special session this fall. Let’s hope the politicians can put the partisanship aside and unite for the victims.