For the Reporter

Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, expressed his desire to return taxpayer money in the form of relief from the Democratic property tax increases as part of the state’s biennial budget that was adopted in 2017.

Fortunato spoke at a news conference Wednesday in support of Senate Bill 6439, which seeks to reduce property taxes for 2018 and 2019.

“Hard-working taxpayers gave us their tax dollars last year to implement a budget and pass their laws,” said Fortunato. “We constantly see the tax-and-spenders wanting to do nice things for people when we have surplus tax dollars, like we do now. We should give them back their own money and let them do something nice for themselves.”

The legislation fixes the budget compromise adopted last year that fully funded education statewide but resulted in a property tax “blip” during a transition to the new education funding plan.

“The opposition insisted on extending the over-reliance on local levies to fund education into 2018 as part of the implementation of the education plan,” Fortunato said. “That is why property owners are getting sticker shock with their bills. We have the money now and should return it to the taxpayers so they can get some relief.”