City Council Wants to Join Lawsuit Over Property Taxes

The gears of tax reform turn slowly in New York City. Frustrated by politicians’ repeated failures to reform the city’s skewed property tax system, an unlikely coalition has filed a lawsuit asking the courts to intervene. Tax Equity Now New York (TENNY) – a strange brew of civic activists, landlords and big developers – now has an ally who’s eager to join them in the fight: the New York City Council. 

The city council has filed a lawsuit in state supreme court against the city’s Law Department, the New York Times reports. The council is seeking the right to file friend-of-the court briefs in TENNY’s property-tax lawsuit and other divisive issues, including the lawsuit brought by residents of public housing against the New York City Housing Authority. Earlier this year, the state supreme court ruled that it would be a violation of the City Charter if five city council members were allowed to file a brief in support of TENNY’s lawsuit. 

The new suit underscores the divide separating Mayor Bill de Blasio and the restive city council. De Blasio has argued that any reform of the city’s inequitable property tax system should come through legislation. He promised to tackle the issue before his first run for office in 2013, and again during his re-election campaign last year. Tired of waiting, the TENNY coalition decided to push the issue in court. Now they have a potential ally in the city council. 

The city’s Law Department has argued that its head, the corporation counsel, is the sole attorney for the city and all of its agencies, including the city council. A Law Department spokesman said in a statement, “This fundamental principle – that a government must speak with one official voice in litigation – is true at every level of government – local, state and federal.” 

The members of TENNY – and more than a few residents of co-ops and condos – are hoping the supreme court disagrees.