STATEMENT OF LUCAS A. FERRARA, ESQ. AND RANDOLPH M. MCLAUGHLIN, ESQ.
RE: NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL PROPERTY TAX COMMISSION PROPOSAL
For Immediate Release
News reports indicate that on April 23, 2014, New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito will announce a proposal that the City form a commission to overhaul the city's property tax system to make it more equitable. We believe that this plan is in direct response to a civil rights class action lawsuit that our firm filed on February 26, 2014.
In Robinson v. The City of New York, we alleged that the current property-tax structure violates federal law -- the Fair Housing Act-- and has resulted in the perpetuation of income inequality and a "tale of two cities." Our Supreme Court complaint notes that residential properties where African-Americans and Latinos reside pay higher property taxes than where whites reside
Immediately after the filing our suit, we called on the City officials to take steps to remedy this inequity. We are pleased that the City Council appears to have responded to our request and the allegations in the lawsuit. We will monitor the process as it unfolds to ensure that the interests of African-Americans and Latinos are adequately protected by any changes to the current system that is clearly dysfunctional and lacks transparency.
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