The Third Department, in a full-fledged opinion by Justice Devine, over a partial dissent, determined the Education Law statute which requires a 60% majority vote to increase property taxes beyond the statutory cap (to fund local school districts) is constitutional. The Election Article of the New York Constitution, the due process clause, the right to equal protection under the law, and the fundamental right to vote were deemed not to have been violated by the statute. With regard to the equal protection argument, the court wrote:
Defendants suggest, and plaintiffs do not dispute, that Education Law § 2023-a ,,, [was] designed with the legitimate goal in mind of restraining onerous property tax increases that were believed to be depressing economic activity in the State … . Plaintiffs suggest that it is irrational to achieve this legitimate aim in a manner that impairs local control of schools and deters poorer school districts that would otherwise seek a property tax increase over the tax cap to keep pace with educational needs. It suffices to say that, while Education Law § 2023-a … incentivize[s] districts and their residents to avoid property tax increases over the tax cap, neither prevents such increases if sufficient community support exists for them (see Education Law § 2023-a [6]). The differences in the services offered by various school districts accordingly result from a permissible consequence of local control over schools, namely, the variable “willingness of the taxpayers of [different] districts to pay for and to provide enriched educational services and facilities beyond what the basic per pupil expenditure figures will permit” … . Inasmuch as there is nothing irrational in this, plaintiffs' equal protection claims fail … . New York State United Teachers v State of New York, 2016 NY Slip Op 03572, 3rd Dept 5-5-16
EDUCATION-SCHOOL LAW (EDUCATION LAW STATUTE REQUIRING A 60% MAJORITY TO AUTHORIZE A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE OVER THE STATUTORY CAP (TO FUND SCHOOL DISTRICTS) IS CONSTITUTIONAL)/TAX LAW (EDUCATION LAW STATUTE REQUIRING A 60% MAJORITY TO AUTHORIZE A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE OVER THE STATUTORY CAP (TO FUND SCHOOL DISTRICTS) IS CONSTITUTIONAL)/CONSITUTIONAL LAW (EDUCATION LAW STATUTE REQUIRING A 60% MAJORITY TO AUTHORIZE A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE OVER THE STATUTORY CAP (TO FUND SCHOOL DISTRICTS) IS CONSTITUTIONAL)