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ALBANY, N.Y. -- Assembly members and local officials are trying to pass legislation to provide additional aid to families and businesses hit hard by Tropical Storm Irene and the remnants of Lee.
The bill would provide flood victims and people across the state with immediate tax relief to help them rebuild.
Leaders say Irene and Lee have come and gone, but the pain and devastation continues.
Many property owners are still paying their initial assessment value, even though the value of their property has diminished since the flooding.
Assemblyman Jim Tedisco says balancing the budget should not be put on the backs of people who have already been hit by a tragedy and had to go out and buy essentials.
Tedisco said, "If you had to pay sales tax on storage, movement, lumber to rebuild your home, you really shouldn't have to pay sales tax. That was never built into the revenue that the State of New York thought they were going to get. It is a windfall for the State of New York."
A Flood Assessment Relief Act was also passed in 2006.