State Legislation to Pressure New York City for Property Tax Reform

"Reforms to the city's complex property tax system would be studied by a commission if a new state bill passes," reports Anna Sanders, who has been tracking the issue throughout the growing controversy.

The state legislation seems like more substantial movement on the city's property tax system compared to a statement from January 2017 by Mayor Bill de Blasio that he would assemble a "task force or whatever," in his own words, to study a property tax system often described as inconsistent and inequitable.

The state legislation would create a commission tasked with preparing recommendations on changes to the "class share system, property assessment process and tax rate formulas," according to Sanders.

Staten Island councilmembers have been pushing for the changes to the property tax system after a study by the city's Independent Budget office revealed that Staten Island homeowners face a higher tax burden relative to actual property value compared to the other boroughs. Sanders has also reported that Staten Island homeowners have threatened to sue the city over the inequalities in the property tax system.