Sponsorship

A.2401 - MORELLE, grannis, lavine, magee / - 1

Memorandum in Support

BILL NUMBER: A2401

TITLE OF BILL : An act to amend the tax law, in relation to a four-stroke snowmobile tax credit; and providing for the expiration of such provisions after five years

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL : The purpose of this bill is to provide an incentive for the purchase of cleaner snowmobiles in New York State.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS : This bill would provide a $500 tax credit for the purchase of environmentally friendly four stroke snowmobiles.

JUSTIFICATION : Snowmobiles use two-stroke engines, which emit substantial amounts of air pollutants. Snowmobiles currently emit more than 220,000 tons of hydrocarbons (HC) and 580,000 tons of carbon monoxide (CO) each year across the United States. These emissions contribute to ambient concentrations of CO, air toxics (such as benzene), and fine particulate matter. Reducing these emissions would benefit our health and environment. In the Clean Air Act, Congress required the EP A to set standards reflecting the greatest degree of emission reductions achievable through technology that will be available. Mostly as a result of environmental concerns of snowmobile use at Yellowstone National Park, the EPA adopted new emissions standards in 2002 for snowmobiles and other recreational vehicles to reduce air pollution from hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide. Manufacturers were required to begin meeting these regulations in 2006, with the EPA emissions requirements becoming increasingly more stringent by 2012. This bill would provide an incentive for the purchase of cleaner snowmobiles in New York State.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY : A.6586/S.5254 of 2005-2006.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE : Immediately, and shall apply to tax years commencing on or after January first in the year in which this act shall take effect, and shall expire in five years.

Sponsorship

A.1602 - MAGEE, BARCLAY, STIRPE, MAGNARELLI, SCOZZAFAVA, TOWNSEND, KOON, hawley, kolb, oaks, sayward / S.7085 - Not available at this time.

Memorandum in Support

BILL NUMBER: A1602

TITLE OF BILL : An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the registration of snowmobiles used solely for the purpose of hunting or fishing

PURPOSE : This bill would establish a non-trail snowmobile registration for snowmobiles which shall be used solely for the purpose of gaining access to hunting and fishing areas.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS : The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new subdivision 2-a allowing the commissioner to authorize the registration of a snowmobile as a non-trail snowmobile used solely for the purpose of gaining access to hunting and fishing areas. The reduced snowmobile registration fee would be $25 with $15 of that amount to be deposited into the snowmobile trail development and maintenance fund.

It also adds a new subdivision 3 that provides for a penalty for any violation of this section.

JUSTIFICATION : Some sportsman groups such as the Oswego County Trappers Association, have argued that they should not have to pay an exorbitant registration fee or join a snowmobile club when they don`t use the trails. This proposal would significantly reduce the registration fee but still has some of the fee go to the Trail Fund. The penalties for violation would be financially and recreationally severe enough to be an effective deterrent for violations.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY : New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS : None.

EFFECTIVE DATE : Immediately.

Sponsorship

S.08144 - GRIFFO, LITTLE, YOUNG, SEWARD, VOLKER, ALESI, BONACIC, BRUNO, DEFRANCISCO, FARLEY, GOLDEN, HANNON, JOHNSON O, LARKIN, LAVALLE, LEIBELL, LIBOUS, MALTESE, MARCELLINO, MAZIARZ, MORAHAN, NOZZOLIO, PADAVAN, RATH, ROBACH, SALAND, SKELOS, TRUNZO, WINNER, ALESI, BONACIC, BRUNO, DEFRANCISCO

Sponsorship

S.2203 - VALESKY, SAMPSON / A.7910 - TOWNSEND, bacalles, barclay, crouch, finch, kolb

Sponsorship

A.813 - DESTITO, TONKO, MAGEE, GORDON D, ORTIZ, DELMONTE, lavelle, mayersohn, mceneny / - 2

Memorandum in Support

BILL NUMBER: A813

TITLE OF BILL : An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to providing tax abatement for private landowners who allow snowmobiling on such land

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

To maintain and expand the network of public snowmobile trails.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

The Real Property Tax Law is amended by adding a new Section 496, which would provide a real property tax abatement of ten percent to private landowners who allow the public to snowmobile on their property. Such abatement is limited to the value of the parcel exclusive of structures or improvements, and is only for lands which are maintained as part of the State trail system. The State shall reimburse the cost of the abatement.

JUSTIFICATION :

Snowmobiling has grown in popularity as a recreational activity in New York State, and is a significant contributor to our economy, supporting restaurants, lodging establishments, snowmobile dealerships, and repair and supply firms. According to a study commissioned by the New York State Snowmobile Association, snowmobiling contributed $238.1 million to the state economy during the 1996-97 winter season. An additional $118 million was spent by households and equipment dealers sold $117 million in merchandise. An estimate of indirect spending came to $476.2 million.

Central to this growth has been the development of a system of 8,000 miles of trails in New York which are open to the public. These trails cross public and private lands, and are maintained by a partnership of local clubs and government. The decline of open space due to development pressures, concerns over liability issues and other impacts on owners have made it difficult for the clubs which maintain trails to convince private property owners to keep lands available for snowmobiling. Permission to use such lands may be given out of a sense on the part of the owner that they are helping local businesses or neighbors, but otherwise nothing is received in return for providing an economic and recreational benefit to their communities. Currently there is no system or incentive by which a county could exempt some property taxes for landowners who open their property to snowmobiling.

This legislation would mitigate the current disincentive to landowners by offering certain property owners providing access to their land for recreational snowmobiling a tax abatement of ten percent. Such an incentive would ensure that valuable private property, needed for trails, would remain open and free to the public. By limiting the program to trails which are eligible for funding under the Snowmobile Trail Fund, it will encourage the development of free trails that are readily accessible. The program would benefit both the public and the State, as millions of dollars would be pumped into local economies and the State would receive monies from the State Sales Tax.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2005-2006: A.155 - Referred to Assembly Real Property Taxation Committee. 2003-2004: A.1505 - Referred to Assembly Real Property Taxation Committee. 2001-2002: A.7883 - Referred to Assembly Real Property Taxation Committee. FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE : Immediately.