July 3, 2015
By Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Albany, NY – This past week we reached an agreement with legislative leaders that addresses many of the important issues facing New York.
At the beginning of this year, I laid out a bold vision for New York—one that promised to expand opportunity, make our communities more affordable, transform our state's education system, and improve social justice across our state. Today, we continued our work to deliver on those promises.
This legislation continues the progress our state has made over the past four years, and takes the following steps:
– Extends and strengthens rent laws in the New York City area to protect more than two million tenants, while at the same time renewing the property tax cap—which has already saved $800 for the typical property owner—and providing more than $1.3 billion in new property tax cuts for working and middle class families.
– Extends the 421-a program to keep this important incentive in place to continue creating affordable housing while representatives of the labor and real estate community work toward a long-term agreement.
– Includes $250 million in new support for nonpublic schools to cover mandated costs, building on our historic investment in public school aid in this year's state budget.
– Extends mayoral control of schools in New York City for one year, maintaining an idea that has worked well since 2002.
– Restructures the cap on charter schools to enable new charter schools to open and offer parents additional choice in education.
Coupled with the accomplishments throughout the legislative session, these reforms will build a better New York and improve the lives and livelihoods of people in virtually every corner of the state. I am proud to have fought for these changes and look forward to signing them into law.
As the 2015 legislative session draws to a close, I want to simply say thank you. Each and every day, I am humbled by the passion, dedication, and vision of the people of New York. Let’s continue to work together to keep our state moving forward and create opportunity for all New Yorkers.
