Bipartisan bliss? State Senate Republicans warming up to true millionaire's tax

State Senator Mark Grisanti

Three State Senators, including two from the Lower Hudson Valley, have hinted that they may support a new millionaire's tax as part of a new tax code once the current one expires at the end of the year.

State Senator Mark Grisanti of Buffalo, a Democrat-turned-Republican, told Gannett's State Capitol Bureau that he "wouldn't have the problem looking at" an overhaul of New York's tax code by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Grisanti believes that the current millionaire's tax, which starts at $200,000 for individual filers, hurts small business proprietors.

Grisanti, a freshman in a very Democratic State Senate district, made headlines earlier this year when he crossed the aisle and supported same-sex marriage in New York, which Cuomo strongly lobbied for.



State Senator John Bonacic, whose district includes parts of Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, and Delaware Counties, said that the Republican conference "wants to be at the hip" of Cuomo as he presses for tax code change, according to the Politics on the Hudson blog.

“To me, that’s important to the conference. They want to show the governor that they like what he’s doing, and they are going to be at his hip. The little nuances or differences in conference are not going to make a difference.”

He added that the conference would negotiate with the governor on any tax code changes, but “For the most part, the governor’s values on fiscal issues have been our values. We will be with the governor, I’m sure.”

Republican State Senator Greg Ball, whose district includes starts in northern Westchester and includes Putnam, and Dutchess Counties, said he be willing to support a tax-code overhaul as well, as long as it benefits major corporations and small businesses.

“The governor has proven an uncanny ability to navigate extremely tough political issues and reach resolution. A comprehensive reform of the tax code would be the single greatest thing we could do to get New York back on track and create jobs by embracing those small-business owners that are being harassed and harangued by an inefficient tax code.”

Cuomo has been steadfast about letting New York's "millionaire's tax" surcharge sunset by year's end, but now he's reportedly rethinking the tax structure, possibly by altering or adding tax brackets as an alternative to the current tax code.

Cuomo appeared on conservative pundit Fred Dicker's radio show on WGDJ in Albany on Wednesday and would not deny a Wall Street Journal report that he's contemplating changing New York's tax structure to put a heavier burden of taxes on the state's wealthiest. The Journal says Cuomo is considering higher taxes for the rich, but lower than the current rate for those earning more than $200,000 a year, which is set to expire at month's end.