Gov. Cuomo Awarded for Outstanding Achievement in State Tax Reform in 2014

Gov. Cuomo Awarded for Outstanding Achievement in State Tax Reform in 2014

Washington, DC (Oct. 16, 2014)—Today, the nonpartisan Tax Foundation will award New York Governor Andrew Cuomo with the 2014 Outstanding Achievement in State Tax Reform award for championing a comprehensive corporate tax reform bill that will transform New York’s treatment of corporate taxes from one of the worst in the country to one of the best. The Tax Foundation will present Governor Cuomo with the award at a 12:00pm press conference this afternoon at the Museum of American Finance in New York City.

As the award’s name suggests, honorees are selected due to their extraordinary efforts to advance the cause of simpler, smarter tax policy in the previous year. New York’s reforms in 2014 reduced unnecessary complexity in the corporate tax base and lowered the corporate income tax rate to the lowest level since 1968 (read more on the reform bill). As these reforms phase in, New York’s ranking on the State Business Tax Climate Index will improve from 50th to 48th and its corporate tax system will improve from 25th place to 4th best in the nation.

“New York’s efforts mark a tremendous step towards reforming one of the least competitive tax codes in the nation,” said Joseph Henchman, Vice President of State Projects at the Tax Foundation. “New York’s economic successes occur because of strengths that overcome a challenging business tax environment, but with 2014’s reforms, one less obstacle will stand in the way of the economic growth in New York.”

“At a time when the gridlocked federal government is slow to enact substantive reforms, it’s encouraging to see states enacting crucial and well-crafted reforms,” added Henchman.

This year, six people will receive the award, the rest of whom will be announced next week.