Here’s hoping that 2026 will bring us nothing but success in enhancing the quality of life in New York. So here’s my wish list.
1. Raise or eliminate the capital gains tax on home sales. It was a big deal in the 1990s when capital gains taxes on the sale of a home were capped. But the $500,000 exclusion for a married couple, which seemed significant then, is now outdated. It should be raised to $1 million or eliminated.
2. A spending cap for New York. In 2012, Albany capped taxes and spending on the school and local levels, but exempted itself. Had it capped the state as well, the state budget today would be $75 billion lower than it is.
3. End the scaffold law. New York is the only state in the nation that imposes 100 percent liability on a building owner for worker injuries, even if a worker is drunk or negligent on the job. It raises our insurance rate considerably. Change it.
4. End the Triborough Amendment. Thanks to a relic called the Triborough Amendment, New York is the only state that continues to give salary step increases to government workers after a contract has expired. It weakens management’s negotiation leverage and is a contributor to our high property taxes.
5. End mandatory arbitration. When law enforcement unions in New York are at a stalemate in negotiations with management, they know they can go to mandatory arbitration, which traditionally has hiked their salaries well beyond other municipal workers. In part because of this provision, Suffolk County police higher-ups will now earn over $250,000 a year. Let them negotiate like any other municipal workers do.
6. Place the MTA under a financial control board. These boards have been used to rescue distressed cities from New York to San Bernardino, Calif. The MTA has shown itself to be unmanageable. The corruption and inefficiencies have led to a mile of New York subway costing seven times more than other cities. An independent financial board could rip up those contracts and inefficient rules and start from scratch.
7. Reopen HOV lanes to hybrids. Two decades ago, legislation encouraged people to buy E.V.s and hybrids by allowing them access to HOV lanes with single occupancy. It worked. More of these vehicles were purchased, and traffic in the other lanes was reduced. Allowing the rule to expire hurt the environment and has only led to more gridlock. Reinstate that access.
8. End sanctuary cities. It’s insane to welcome illegal aliens and provide them with taxpayer-financed housing, food stamps and health care. Even more ludicrous, hardened criminals are allowed to be freed onto our streets rather than being turned over to federal authorities for deportation.
9. Tie rent laws to income. If rent-control laws aren’t going to be eliminated, they at least should be tied to an individual’s income. A millionaire friend was offered over a half-million dollars to leave his rent-controlled apartment, where he only pays about $1,000 a month. The market value of the unit is closer to $5,000 a month. Hard rent controls might be justified for the poor and working classes, but they aren’t for those in higher income brackets, such as New York’s new mayor.
10. Open New York to fracking. It’s a disgrace that the struggling residents of western New York are continuously denied the opportunity for the riches that would flow from opening the area to fracking to extract natural gas. Nearby Pennsylvania is booming because it did not make the same dumb decision.
Natural gas is transitioning America from dirty coal and oil, thereby reducing our carbon footprint. Allowing fracking would be both environmentally and economically beneficial. So stop pandering to the green extremists.
11. Ban marijuana in public. It’s commendable that state laws changed with the times and stopped criminalizing those who wanted to use recreational marijuana in their homes. But allowing its rampant use in our outdoor spaces has infringed on non-users who detest the horrific odor. Don’t re-criminalize its use, but restrict it to private, indoor use.
12. Arrest fare beaters. Spending millions on a study to find out why criminals jump subway turnstiles won’t solve the problem — arresting the perpetrators will. Just a few publicized examples will stop this thievery in its tracks.
Steve Levy is president of Common Sense Strategies, a political consulting firm, and has served as Suffolk County executive and as an assemblyman. He can be reached at steve@commonsensestrategies.com.
