On the state level we are getting our fiscal house in order and lowering taxes for the middle-class and small businesses:

• Ellen voted for the lowest rates for the middle-class in New York State since 1954.
• Credit-rating agency Standard and Poor’s upgraded New York’s bond rating to an A+.
• Ellen has fought to abolish the MTA payroll tax and succeeded in getting in repealed for 80% of our small businesses ses and for both public and private elementary and secondary schools.
• Ellen remains committed to fighting for additional progressive tax reform, including in our corporate tax structure, and to exempt non-profits and municipalities from the MTA payroll tax.

On the local level property tax reform is a must for families to afford to stay in Rockland. Ellen believes in order to lower local taxes we must:

• Rethink the way we fund education and increase state aid to schools;
• Enact an omnibus middle class circuit-breaker tax cap, phased in over four years for increased tax breaks;
• Continue of STAR and enhanced STAR;
• Cut costs to decrease what we pay;
• Stop unfunded mandates now.

Ellen has delivered in Albany by:

• Closing a loophole called Safe Harmless which increased aid to Rockland Schools by millions;
• Co-writing a bipartisan bill to enact a modest circuit breaker;
• Voting for Tier V pension reform, which will cut costs to school districts by millions and save taxpayers millions for generations to come;
• Allowing local governments to make cooperative purchase arrangements, which cut costs and increase efficiency;
• Working with business organizations at home to strengthen small businesses, attract new businesses to increase the tax base;
• Arranging meetings with the state to boost business development as a result of the new Tappan Zee Bridge.