Republican candidate for the 109th Assembly District, John Wasielewski, called on Assembly Democrats, including two-term Democratic incumbent Bob Reilly, D-Newtonville, to pass a school property tax cap before leaving the Capitol for summer recess.
Wasielewski, 48, a Halfmoon Conservative, who received endorsements from all three town Republican committees in May, said Tuesday, June 23, We’re not running for Assembly to be shills for special interests. We’re running to help out middle-class families who work hard every day, pay their bills and want to protect their quality of life. These families are being squeezed to the breaking point by the nation’s highest property taxes.
Wasielewski said he was working with 108th Assembly District Republican candidate Steve McLaughlin in calling for a school property tax cap.
The 109th Assembly District encompasses the towns of Clifton Park, Halfmoon and Colonie.
Republicans hold a majority in the district with 34,019 registered Republicans and 25,164 registered Democrats, according to the state Board of Elections.
Gov. David Paterson introduced the school property tax cap bill Tuesday, June 3, which was a recommendation in the Preliminary Report of the New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief.
The bill introduced by Paterson would place a cap on property tax levy increases of 4 percent or 120 percent of the consumer price index, whichever is less, and would require 55 percent voter approval for any tax levy greater than the percentages.
According to Wasielewski, district tax levies within the 109th district have increased 31 percent over a five year-period from the 2002-03 school year to the 2006-07 school year. This represents a $47.1 million increase, Wasielewski said.
He estimated that if a tax levy cap were in place for the same five year-period taxpayers would have saved $35.1 million in school property taxes.
`It’s time Tim Gordon (I-Bethlehem) and Bob Reilly heard the people’s voice, which is loud and clear, ‘Stay on the job until you pass the tax cap,’` Wasielewski said.
Gordon represents the 108th Assembly District, which encompasses Albany, Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties.
Wasielewski is the first Republican-endorsed Assembly candidate to hail from the town of Halfmoon in its 220-year history.
After spending 26 years in the military, Wasielewski became a member of Supervised Court Security Staff before taking on his current position as Emergency Operations Manager for SI Group in Schenectady. He has also been a certified New York State EMT since 1983.
Wasielewski has lived in Halfmoon for six years with his wife, Anne, daughter, Lauren, 14, and son, Christopher, 12.
Reilly, who is known for donating his salary to charity, said in a Friday, June 6, interview with Spotlight Newspapers that he was interested in passing bills regarding school tax relief and campaign finance reform.
Attempts to reach Reilly were unsuccessful.“