Property tax caps have damaged public education in other states and would threaten the progress being made by New York students. That's the message NYSUT is delivering to legislators who have called for arbitrary caps to be placed on annual increases in local property taxes.

In his annual State of the State speech, Gov. Spitzer called for the creation of a commission charged with researching property tax caps and making a proposal to state legislators. The commission, led by Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, followed calls by some legislators for tax caps, despite the fact that these caps pose a series of problems for public education.

"At a time when we are just beginning to address some of the funding and achievement gaps that exist in schools throughout the state, a property tax cap would lock in disparities and deny local communities the ability to invest in their schools at levels they deem appropriate," said NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi.

By limiting local investment in schools, Iannuzzi said, the tax caps would jeopardize the progress made in public education over the past several years. The national publication Education Week just announced that New York leads the nation in education standards, quality tests and accountability. The national experts at Education Trust cited New York's progress in closing the gap for children in poverty.

New York also leads the nation in the prestigious Intel science competition and in AP and SAT participation. Test scores are rising and students are working to higher standards than ever before. Those higher standards, mandated by the state and federal government, require appropriate resources.

Iannuzzi said while there are many seniors and low- and middle-income families who need tax relief, a property tax cap takes a sledgehammer approach that does not direct assistance where it is needed. It threatens to deny critical funding to schools.

"The goal of New York's educational system should be to create excellence, but instead, tax caps would introduce a status quo mentality that is completely at odds with our mission to raise student achievement," he said.

Research by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that tax caps have had a blunting effect on public education in other states. In California, spending caps drove the state's per-pupil expenditure levels well below the national average, forcing some districts to cut art, music, physical education and other class offerings. In Massachusetts, a property tax cap led to layoffs, library closures, reduced infrastructure investment and other problems.

NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan Lubin said history has shown that when asked to choose between tax caps and educational quality, New York's communities overwhelmingly choose education.

"Property tax increases are not arbitrarily forced on local communities. They are the most democratic tax in New York, voted on as part of school budgets every year," he said. "Last year, more than 95 percent of New York communities approved their school budgets, which showed clearly that New Yorkers are not willing to cap their taxes at the expense of their schools."

Lubin said NYSUT would work with legislators to present more reasonable approaches to providing real property tax relief. For example, a progressive income tax would lower taxes for 90 percent of New Yorkers while raising billions that could be used for school aid. A circuit breaker program would direct property tax relief at those who need it most, by basing property taxes on income.

NYSUT is fighting calls for broad property tax caps with a communications campaign portraying students in mortarboards, with the message, "The right kind of cap." The campaign highlights student progress and the importance of education to New York's economy, while sharing concerns about the dangers of an arbitrary cap on school taxes.

NYSUT is not alone in its opposition to tax caps. The Educational Conference Board — which includes the Conference of Big Five City School Districts; the state Association of School Business Officials; the state Congress of Parents and Teachers; the state Council of School Superintendents; the state School Boards Association; NYSUT; and the School Administrators Association of New York State — is publicly opposing tax cap proposals.

"There is a broad coalition of stakeholders that is sending a loud, unified message that tax caps are dangerous public policy," Lubin said.

— Kevin Hart