Rep. Thomas Suozzi doubles down on 'no SALT, no deal' stance as panel skirts property tax issue

Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) doubled down Monday on his "no SALT, no deal" stance after a House committee failed to address the tax deduction issue in a massive new plan to fund expansion of the nation's social safety net.

Suozzi, who is seeking repeal of a 2017 Republican tax law that sets a $10,000 limit on the federal deduction for state and local taxes, said he was "confident" relief would be included in the final House bill.

"I’m pushing for full repeal," Suozzi told Newsday. "And I’m confident it’s going to get done … This is a question of basic fairness. You should not be taxed on taxes you’ve already paid."

Suozzi was reacting to a proposal released Monday by the House Ways and Means Committee to fund a package backed by President Joe Biden that would provide money for family leave and other services.

Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) also proposed more than $2 trillion in new revenue from taxes affecting wealthy Americans' incomes and assets.

Suozzi hopes to have SALT reform included in the final legislation.

He and other Democrats argue the cap on deductibility of state and local taxes hurts middle-class families in high-tax states such as New York.

Neal, Suozzi and Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) issued a joint statement characterizing the committee's social safety net proposal as "not the final step" in the process.

"We are committed to enacting a law that will include meaningful SALT relief that is so essential to our middle-class communities, and we are working daily toward that goal," the statement said.

Given Democrats' slim majority in the U.S. House, passage of the Ways and Means plan released Monday would require the votes of all House Democrats but three, if all Republicans vote against it.

Henry Connelly, a spokesperson for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement that addressing the SALT deduction "remains a priority for House Democrats in the final reconciliation package."

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement: "We are now doubling down on the push to restore Long Island’s SALT deduction, which helps firefighters, teachers, and so many other everyday homeowners across Nassau and Suffolk and is so vital to maintaining a high level of service for all New Yorkers."

By Candice Ferrette

candice.ferrette@newsday.comcandiceferrette

Candice Ferrette covers Nassau County government and politics on Long Island. She has been a reporter at Newsday since 2011.