O’Brien Unveils Property Tax Relief Initiative

This is from the New Britain Democrat E-Letter:

O’Brien Unveils Property Tax Relief Initiative

Democratic Mayoral candidate Tim O'Brien announced Friday his plan to address high and rising property taxes in New Britain -- responding to tax hikes that have hit "the overwhelming majority of taxpayers under the current City Hall."

“I believe that New Britain needs a Mayor who fights strongly for reform to lower unfair property tax burdens,” said O'Brien.

Rep. O'Brien (D-24), known as the toughest fighter in the state legislature for property tax reform, announced his three point plan:

• Enacting local senior property tax relief to increase relief provided under the current state-funded relief program and to extend relief to seniors whose incomes are modest but exceed current limits under the state program.
• Extend property tax relief to all homeowners by requiring owners of blighted buildings in the city to pay their fair share through a strong anti-blight assessment ordinance.
• Strongly advocacy for state property tax reform.

“It breaks my heart to see many senior citizens struggle to pay their bills and stay in their homes because of property tax unfairness,” said O'Brien. “Senior property tax relief is just the right thing to do.” O'Brien added, “And it is unfair to homeowners who work hard to keep up their properties that they are paying more in taxes, while the owners of blighted buildings get the benefit of lower assessments exactly because they don't keep up their properties. That is unfair, it is wrong and it will change when I am Mayor.”

O'Brien builds his local property tax reform plan on a strong track record in the legislature fighting for property tax reform, including winning property tax relief by expanding the state property tax credit to $500, gaining tens of millions of dollars in new state aid to New Britain that kept property taxes from rising even higher and winning approval of important property tax reform that would have provided millions of dollars tax relief to New Britain taxpayers each year (a measure that was vetoed by Republican Gov. Jodi Rell).

O'Brien added, “I have already told my colleagues in the legislature that, as Mayor of New Britain, they can expect to see me at the State Capitol fighting hard for property tax reform, state property tax relief and state support for education and other local services. I have my program for property tax relief in New Britain. I also plan to be the most active Mayor in the state advocating for reform of unfair property taxes.”