By Hank Russell
Long Island’s two Republican Congressman — Nick LaLota and Andrew Garbarino — took exception to Governor Kathy Hochul’s comments that they were not doing enough to repeal the SALT (State And Local Taxes) cap in the state. The cap is currently at $10,000 a year, consisting of property taxes plus state income or sales taxes.
“The New York Republican delegation owes middle class New Yorkers a full repeal of the SALT cap,” Hochul said, adding that the cap has cost state residents $12 billion a year since the cap went into effect seven years ago, thereby “robbing middle-class families of their hard-earned money.”
“Republicans have drained billions directly from the pockets of their own constituents, and now it’s time for them to deliver. No excuses. No half measures. It’s all or nothing – New Yorkers deserve a full repeal.”
LaLota (R-Rocky Point) responded via social media. “Oh, just stop,” he replied. “New Yorkers have grown to rely on SALT because NYS Dems like you just spend and tax like crazy. While House Republicans from NY get a fix on SALT, you should get to the root of the problem and reign [sic] in spending.”
When Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress and the White House, they failed to restore the SALT deduction,” Garbarino said.” New York Republicans, on the other hand, have been leading the charge to provide meaningful SALT relief for hardworking families. We remain committed to working with House leadership and President Trump to get this done.”
This was not the first time that Hochul has gone after the GOP on this topic. When the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear New York v. Yellen in 2022, which claimed the $10,000 cap was unconstitutional, Hochul accused then-President Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress of launching “an economic attack on New Yorkers” and the tax Cuts and Jobs Act “handed major giveaways to big corporations, while raising taxes on middle-class families here in New York.”
When asked about her accusations, a spokesperson for the governor noted that she made tax cuts her top priority. “In her first budget, she accelerated a middle-class tax cut, eliminated the gas tax for six months, and provided hundreds of millions of dollars in tax relief for small businesses,” the spokesperson said. “More recently, the Governor announced a new tax credit for working families and an inflation refund proposal to put up to $500 back in the pockets of everyday New Yorkers.”
But Garbarino (R-Patchogue) said Hochul should focus on “her own failed policies that are hurting New Yorkers,” such as excessive spending, bail reform policies, overregulation, and congestion pricing, all of which are “driving people and businesses out of the state.”
“House Republicans are ready to do our part to deliver SALT relief,” he said. “Governor Hochul would be better served by focusing on fixing the problems she has created in New York.”