Urge new taxes in renter bid

A coalition of tenant advocacy groups is pushing the state government to enact sweeping new taxes on the wealthy as part of its call to offer rent supplements to poor families, improve public housing and combat homelessness.

Housing Justice for All is calling for $10 billion in new taxes in an agenda it plans to roll out Wednesday.

The revenue could be raised through a tax on high-value co-ops, a pied-a-terre tax on second homes worth $5 million or higher and an “ultramillionaires” tax on people who make more than $5 million a year, the group contends.

“We’re trying to leverage both a national political moment and statewide elections,” said Cea Weaver, the group’s campaign coordinator. “This is a unique moment.”

The plan comes just months after the group scored a huge win in the state Legislature’s last session with passage of a law that strengthens pro-tenant rent regulations.

Landlords bristled at the renewed push. Jay Martin, director of the Community Housing Improvement Program, a building owners trade association, said new taxes would push some owners to the brink of bankruptcy, forcing them to raise rents.

“More and more taxes is going to lead to more and more higher market rents,” he said.

Weaver contends there are 92,000 homeless people in New York State, and despite politicians’ reluctance to talk taxes in an election year there’s now an appetite for it due to New Yorkers’ displeasure with President Trump and fellow Republicans.

State Sen. Julia Salazar (inset), who’s pushing for a millionaires tax in a pending bill, said Albany Democrats certainly have to protect their right flank on this issue, but that moderate Democrats will also have to be wary of primary challenges from the progressive left.

“It’s unreasonable to be afraid to implement any new taxes in an election year,” she said. “If we don’t add substantial new revenue streams then we’re never going to be able to raise the funds necessary to meet NYCHA’s capital needs.”