The start of the new year will bring more than $1.9 billion in new state tax cuts, Massapequa's elected state representatives have reported.

Massapequa's representatives in the State Legislature, Senator Charles Fuschillo (8th Senate District) and Assemblyman Steve Labriola (12th Assembly District) helped negotiate the cuts during the 2000 Legislative Session.

"When the new year begins new tax cuts will kick in to help people afford college, transition from welfare to work, reduce energy costs, and more," said Fuschillo.

Labriola said there are more than 30 tax cuts in this year's budget, and described New York as leading the nation in tax cuts, thanks to the cooperative efforts of the Legislature and Governor George Pataki. "Our tax cuts are larger than all 49 states combined. So we lead the nation. Because New York State was overtaxed, and we've reversed that trend," he said.

Fuschillo added, "The Senate has partnered with Governor Pataki to enact new tax cuts every year for the past six years, and we've made New York State the tax cut leader in the nation."

Labriola described STAR, a program of reducing school property taxes which is being phased in over four years, as the most significant tax cut to local homeowners. "This is the third year that they're really going to feel it. Because it began as a 9 percent reduction, then an 18 percent reduction, and next year, it's a 27 percent reduction - which is significant in their school taxes - on average $900," he said.

Two other pieces of the tax-cut package which Labriola believes will have a major impact for Massapequa's middle class families are a reduction in the so-called "marriage penalty" and a plan to make college education more affordable. Traditionally, the "marriage penalty" has impacted families by making the standard income tax deduction for a married couple filing a joint tax return lower than it would have been if each wage earner had filed separately as a single person. This year, the marriage penalty will be reduced for New York's married taxpayers by increasing the standard deduction for married couples who file a joint return, from $13,000 to $14,600. The move is expected to save taxpayers more than $200 million when fully implemented. "We were encouraging people to file single, or not get married, if they were co-habitating, because they actually saved money by doing that. So we're reversing that trend," said Labriola.

The plan to ease the financial burden of higher education for the college bound and their families comes in the form of the College Tuition/Tax Deduction Credit. The measure gives taxpayers the option of claiming an itemized deduction or receiving a tax credit to help offset their college tuition expenses, and is expected to save taxpayers more than $200 million annually when it becomes fully effective. According to Fuschillo, the measure is the result of two years of work. "The College-Tuition Tax Deduction will help families afford the cost of higher education for their children," Fuschillo said. "This was my major tax cut priority fought for two years, and I'm very proud to see it take effect."

Also included in the package are an increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), an extension of the Power for Jobs program, phasing out of the Gross Receipts Tax (GRT), and a measure to encourage the creation of environmentally sensitive buildings.

EITC is a program which is administered by both the federal and state governments. It provides a tax incentive to the working poor, by providing a tax credit to low-income parents. This year, New York State will increase it from 22.5 percent of the federal credit to 25 percent, giving $25 million more to low-income families. As part of a phase-in plan, the state plans to gradually raise EITC to 30 percent of the federal credit.

The Power for Jobs Program is aimed at promoting job creation by providing low-cost power to businesses that create and retain jobs. It will be extended for three more years, and will provide an increased amount of low cost power, saving businesses $33.6 million in 2001-02. The program has already helped to create and retain more than 270,000 jobs since it was started in 1997, according to state officials.

The elimination of the GRT is aimed at reducing the cost of energy for residential and business customers . A phase-out program will begin in January, and is expected to eventually save ratepayers more than $330 million.

The Green Buildings program provides tax credits for the construction and rehabilitation of environmentally sensitive or so-called "green buildings."

All the new measures take effect Jan. 1, 2001. For further information about the new tax cuts, and their impact on the filing of residents' tax returns, one can contact Assemblyman Labriola's district office at (516) 844-0635, or Senator Fuschillo's district office at (516) 546-4100.