2018 Tax Expenditures Report
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80 T H E C I T Y OF N E W Y O R K D E P A R T M E N T O F F I N A N C E D I V I S I O N O F T A X P O L I C Y A N N U A L R E P O RT O N T A X E X P E N D I T U R E S FISCAL YEAR 2018 BILL DE BLASIO, MAYOR JACQUES JIHA, PH.D., COMMISSIONER ANNUAL REPORT ON TAX EXPENDITURES Fiscal Year 2018 BILL DE BLASIO MAYOR JACQUES JIHA, PH.D. COMMISSIONER REPORT PREPARED BY THE DIVISION OF TAX POLICY FEBRUARY 2018 REVISED APRIL 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY New York City furthers its social and economic objectives through a variety of programs. Some programs are funded by direct governmental appropriations, while others are funded by reductions in tax liability and are referred to as “tax expenditures.” This report, mandated by the New York City Charter, identifies and describes tax expenditure programs related to taxes administered by the City and provides tax expenditure estimates based on available data. The City administers approximately 60 real property, business income, and excise tax expenditure programs. Tax expenditures related to the real property tax totaled $6.3 billion in FY 2018. Housing and economic development-related incentives comprised 53 percent and 33 percent of real property tax expenditures, respectively. The five largest real property tax expenditure programs accounted for 57 percent of the cost of annual real property tax expenditures. Five Largest FY 2018 NYC Real Property Tax Expenditure Programs ($ Millions) Affordable NY Housing Program (421-a) $1,428 NYC Housing Authority $682 Industrial and Commercial Incentive Program $617 Co-op/Condo Abatement $528 Urban Development Corporation $332 Business income and excise tax expenditures that could be quantified were valued at $1.3 billion in TY 2014. Many of these programs are designed to foster economic development by, for example, reducing City energy costs for eligible businesses or providing relocation incentives. The five largest business income and excise tax expenditure programs accounted for 90 percent of the quantifiable cost of annual business income and excise tax expenditures. Five Largest TY 2014 NYC Business Income and Excise Tax Expenditure Programs ($ Millions) Insurance Corporation Non-Taxation $463 Business & Investment Capital Tax Limitation $361 Single Sales Factor (FY2015) $284 Cooperative Housing Corporation Four-Tenths Mill Rate on Capital $42 Special Allocation Rule: Regulated Investment Company Management Fees $38 City sales tax expenditures that could be quantified for CY 2014 were estimated at $4.6 billion. City-funded personal income tax credits, reported for TY 2015, were worth $278 million. This report is organized in several parts that cover tax expenditure programs by tax. Parts II to V cover the main tax expenditure categories summarized above. Part III also provides information concerning the comprehensive corporate tax reform of 2015. Part VI summarizes public costs and benefits related to private investment projects. Appendices provide supplemental information pertinent to City tax expenditures and general descriptions of NYC taxes. i (this page was left blank intentionally) ii TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 PART II: REAL PROPERTY TAX EXPENDITURES Overview ........................................................ …..…………………………………………… 5 Detailed Program Descriptions .................................................................................................. 9 City Programs ............................................................................................................. …… 10 State Programs ............................................................................................................ …… 52 Public Agencies ............................................................................................…….….…… 64 PART III: BUSINESS INCOME AND EXCISE TAX EXPENDITURES Overview ................................................................................................................................... 77 Detailed Program Descriptions ................................................................................................. 79 PART IV: SALES AND USE TAX EXPENDITURES Overview ................................................................................................................................. 109 Comparison of City and State Tax Expenditures ................................................................... 109 Detailed Program Descriptions ............................................................................................... 113 PART V: PERSONAL INCOME TAX EXPENDITURES Overview ................................................................................................................................. 123 Modifications of Income and Liability ................................................................................... 123 Components of AGI and Summary of Deductions and Credits .............................................. 126 Detailed Program Descriptions ............................................................................................... 129 PART VI: SUMMARY OF PUBLIC COSTS AND BENEFITS RELATED TO PRIVATE INVESTMENT PROJECTS………………………. ..................... 135 APPENDICES I. New York City Charter Section 240 ....................................................................... ….…. 137 II. Description of Major New York City Taxes ..................................................................... 138 III. Real Property Tax Expenditure Statistical Supplement ..................................................... 144 IV. NYC Economic Development Programs .......................................... …………..………. 161 V. Beneficiaries of $5m or More, Real Property Tax (Classes 3 and 4) ............. …………. 162 INDEX………………………..……………………………………………………………… ..... 165 iii TABLES Table 1: City Programs: Real Property Tax Expenditures .. ……………………………….….. 10 Table 2: City Programs: Real Property Tax Expenditures, Borough Distribution …………..… 12 Table 3: State Programs: Real Property Tax Expenditures ........... ……………..…………….… 52 Table 4: State Programs: Real Property Tax Expenditures, Borough Distribution ………….… 53 Table 5: Public Agencies: Real Property Tax Expenditures ............................... ………………. 64 Table 6: Public Agencies: Real Property Tax Expenditures, Borough Distribution .... …….…… 65 Table 7: Business Income and Excise Tax Expenditures .............................. ….……………….. 78 Table 8: Tax Expenditure Estimates for Selected Exemptions from the Sales Tax Base .............. 115 Table 9: New York City Personal Income Tax: Components of Adjusted Gross Income ............. 127 Table 10: New York City Personal Income Tax: Summary of Deductions and Credits ................. 128 FIGURES Figure 1: Real Property Tax Expenditures by Purpose ... ……………………...….……………… 6 Figure 2: Real Property Tax Expenditures by Source ... …………………………………………. 8 iv PART I INTRODUCTION Definition of Tax Expenditures Tax expenditures are deviations from the basic tax structure that reduce taxes for specific taxpayers or groups of taxpayers. They derive from provisions of the tax law that provide special exclusions, exemptions, deductions, credits, preferential rates of tax, or deferrals of tax liability. Tax expenditures have traditionally been used to alter the distribution of the tax burden and to create incentives for taxpayers to change economic behavior. They provide economic benefits and are often used as alternatives to direct governmental allocations. The definition of a normal tax structure and identification of specific tax expenditures is subjective and controversial. Some recommend that tax expenditures be defined as inclusively as possible, encompassing all deductions or credits that reduce the taxable base from 100 percent of income and wealth. Others recommend a more narrow definition, focused on targeted measures that provide preferential treatment. This latter approach assumes that the definition of the taxable entity and the general rate schedule are part of the “normal” tax system. This report utilizes the more targeted approach. In accordance with City Charter requirements, it identifies provisions of City-administered taxes that are intended to confer special tax benefits. This approach focuses attention on the information needed for local policy evaluation and public accountability. This report considers a provision of the tax law to be a tax expenditure if the following conditions are met: 1. City-Specific: The tax expenditure derives from a tax administered by the City. 2. Targeted Preference: The tax provision is “special” in that it is targeted to a narrow class of transactions or taxpayers. 3. Clear Exception: The tax provision constitutes a clear exception to a general provision of the tax laws. Tax exemptions provided to government entities and to non-profit organizations that serve the public at large are not included as City tax expenditures because such exemptions are routinely granted by states and municipalities and generally reflect conformity with federal law. Reporting Requirements The federal government and most states, including New York, produce tax expenditure reports to help policy makers evaluate the impact of tax benefit programs. Section 240 of the New York City Charter mandates an annual City tax expenditure report that includes: a comprehensive list of City-specific tax expenditures; 1 Introduction the citation of