Kudos to City Councilmen Kalman Yeger, Robert Holden, Mark Gjonaj and 10 others for sticking up for city homeowners and property owners in the council debate on reducing interest for landlords delinquent in their property-tax payments.
City Hall wants to charge landlords usurious penalties (up to 18 percent) for late payments. Team de Blasio even texted council members during the debate on Yeger’s amendment, urging them to resist.
“This Kalman floor amendment is crazy,” read one text obtained by The Post. “It will bankrupt the city and we will have no money for services.”
Councilman Peter Koo charged that City Hall seems to see property owners as a cash cow.
“Building owners want to meet their obligation of paying property taxes, but they just need more time,” said the Rent Stabilization Association’s Frank Ricci.
Why single out property owners for pain, when the city is easing up on everyone else who has been hit hard by the pandemic and lockdown?
With tenants given a rent moratorium, how are landlords to find cash for taxes?
“The fairest big city in America” wants to slam its largest providers of affordable housing simply because they’re landlords.
Yes, the economic shutdown is starving the city’s coffers — but that’s no reason to savage just one class of taxpayer. Find a better way, Mr. Mayor.