Malliotakis discusses House passing of “One, Big, Beautiful Bill”, Lander holds event criticizing U.S. Rep’s vote

Lander challenged Malliotakis to debate the bill with him in Bay Ridge

U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis held a press conference in Dyker Heights to discuss President Donald Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” and the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction May 29. 

She, along with Councilmember David Carr, said the bill is beneficial to the people they represent in Brooklyn and Staten Island.

The House passed the bill as the vote was called 215-214 on May 22. It now goes to the Senate.

“The biggest provisions are the return, or the increase I should say, of the state and local tax deduction from $10,000 to $40,000,” she said during the conference at 12th Avenue and 80th Street, along with community leaders. “This is huge for the people in New York who have been taxed to death by our mayor, our governor, the Democrats at the City Council and the state legislature.

“This means that the homeowners here will be able to deduct their property taxes that they paid to the city of New York, as well as their state and local income taxes. That will be a huge savings. As a matter of fact, it can be upwards of $6,000- $7,000 in savings for a family here in Brooklyn.”

She also mentioned Expansion of the Child Tax Credit, which under the provision will be $2,500 per child. Also, senior citizens with incomes of $75,000 or less per individual and $150,000 for a married couple will see a $4,000 senior deduction for each senior, she claims.

“If you’re a married couple with $150,000 in income, you will see an $8,000 deduction on your federal taxes,” Malliotakis said. 

The previous evening, mayoral candidate and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander was at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7420 4th Ave., where he challenged Malliotakis to debate the bill a week prior.

 Malliotakis was not in attendance. However, a cardboard cutout of her was on display while Lander and others slammed the bill.

“Nicole Malliotakis gave that bill the one-vote margin that it needed to strip away health care for millions of Americans to give tax breaks to billionaires,” he said in front of dozens of attendees. “I challenged her to this debate on this very night, in this very church and while she is not here in person, we are going to make sure that she hears from Bay Ridge constituents whose health care she is stripping away and whose lives she is threatening.”

According to Lander, more than 134,000 New York City residents would lose coverage entirely, and 300,000 would be moved to state-funded Medicaid if the bill’s proposed changes to the Essential Plan (EP) go through. He also said that New York State will face a budget impact of $13.5 billion, which includes $2.5 billion in lost federal funding for Medicaid and $7.5 billion in lost federal funding for the EP.

“As a senior living on a fixed income with Medicare and Medicaid, losing Medicaid would be disastrous,” said Arlen Marin at the church, a Medicaid recipient from Staten Island. “Without Medicaid, I can’t afford to access primary and preventive care, which keeps me healthy. Cutting Medicaid services is cruel, and that is why I am here to say healthcare is a human right, and we demand no cuts to Medicaid.”

However, Malliotakis fought back on the claims that the bill would be harmful.

“There has been so much misinformation, and frankly, lies about the Medicaid provisions,” she said. “First of all, we completely protect senior citizens, people with disabilities, children with disabilities, the developmentally disabled, our most vulnerable citizens and those who the Medicare program was created for.

“What we do is close loopholes so illegal immigrants can’t benefit from Medicaid. Also, if you are on Medicaid and shouldn’t be on Medicaid, that means you’re a fraudster. You’re taking advantage of a program of which you do not qualify. We’re addressing that and making sure we are checking people‘s eligibility status.”

She noted that the only change would be a work requirement for people who are healthy. 

“They are able-bodied, they are of work age, and they have zero dependence and what we’re asking is that those individuals work volunteer or learn part-time 20 hours a week,” she said. “Nobody has taken anything from anybody. Nobody is being removed or kicked off, which is such a lie that is coming out from the other side of the aisle.”