A 5049: Establishes the task force on education funding and property tax reform within the education department to conduct a comprehensive study and provide recommendations on education funding and the role of property taxes in funding New York's education system.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 5049 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 11, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. JACOBSON, EACHUS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education AN ACT to establish a task force on education funding and property tax reform The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Task force on education funding and property tax reform. 2 1. There is hereby created a task force on education funding and proper- 3 ty tax reform in New York state within the state education department. 4 The purpose of the task force shall be to conduct a comprehensive study 5 and provide recommendations on education funding and the role of proper- 6 ty taxes in funding New York's education system to ensure an effective, 7 efficient, and equitable system of funding public education. The task 8 force shall review and offer recommendations on the following: 9 (a) the current reliance on property taxes to fund New York's educa- 10 tion system, including its impact on taxpayers and high-need school 11 districts; 12 (b) district-specific factors, such as the impact of regional costs 13 and student need in education funding; 14 (c) federal changes which impact property taxes, including but not 15 limited to, the federal cap on the state and local tax deduction; 16 (d) community and school district income and wealth as it relates to 17 local property taxes; 18 (e) the use of property taxes to fund education in other states; 19 (f) spending disparities among neighboring school districts; and 20 (g) additional relevant factors that the task force deems necessary. 21 2. (a) The task force shall consist of seventeen members as follows: 22 (i) the commissioner of education or the commissioner's designee, who 23 shall serve as chair of the task force; 24 (ii) four people appointed by the governor; 25 (iii) four people appointed by the temporary president of the senate; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02335-01-5 
 A. 5049 2 1 (iv) four people appointed by the speaker of the assembly; and 2 (v) four people appointed by the commissioner of education. 3 (b) All appointments of members of the task force shall be made no 4 later than thirty days after the effective date of this act. The task 5 force may begin its duties when a majority of the total number of posi- 6 tions have been appointed. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing 7 authority. The members of the task force shall receive no compensation 8 for their services. 9 3. The task force shall make a report to the governor, temporary pres- 10 ident of the senate and speaker of the assembly of its findings, conclu- 11 sions and recommendations on or before December 31, 2025. 12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.