COMMON SENSE: Tax Freedom Day

In New York State, April 15 is not as important a day when it comes to paying taxes as May 1. That is because May 1, 2012 is the day the Tax Freedom Foundation has designated Tax Freedom Day in New York State. It’s the day that residents of New York have worked long enough to pay off all tax obligations at the federal, state and local level.

New York’s Tax Freedom day ranks second, tied with New Jersey. By way of comparison, Connecticut at May 5 is the latest in the nation. Pennsylvania ranks 14th with an April 18 date. The state in which you meet all your tax obligation earliest is Tennessee which ranks 50th and has a Tax Freedom Day of March 31.

Basically, what all this means is that a New York State resident must work better than a full extra month vs. a resident of Tennessee just to pay off his or her taxes. It is also worth noting that, for many New York City residents, Tax Freedom Day is actually a little later than May 1 as a result of the additional city personal income tax and sales tax although that is offset by a lower property tax.

The Brooklyn Conservative Party will be celebrating Tax Freedom Day in New York State by cutting a birthday cake on the evening of Tuesday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. in its headquarters, 486 78th Street in Brooklyn. All are invited.

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The political parties last week completed the filing for all congressional candidates from throughout the borough. In southwest Brooklyn, Congressmember Michael Grimm successfully filed several times more signatures to appear on the Republican, Conservative and Independence Party lines.

This is a clear electoral boost for the congressmember who did not have the Independence Party line two years ago. Grimm has been running a very aggressive re-election effort in Brooklyn with weekly announcements of endorsements and a heavy public appearance schedule.

Congressmember Grimm will be opposed by Michael Murphy, a part-time actor and son of a former congressmember defeated by Guy Molinari way back in 1980.

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Republican-Conservative Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis has endorsed Wendy Long in the June 26 GOP primary for US Senate.

Malliotakis in a statement said she “believed Wendy has the character, demeanor, and experience to carry the Republican banner and I urge my fellow Republicans to join me in supporting her candidacy in the June primary.”

Wendy received the unanimous endorsement of the Conservative Party at its state convention and will appear on its line, Column “C,” in November. She also received 47 percent of the delegate support at the Republican convention, better than twice the support of her two GOP primary rivals.