This Tax Day, Long Island Families Are Finally Seeing Real Relief

As Tax Day approaches, families across Long Island are sitting down at their kitchen tables, going through their returns, and asking a simple question: “Am I keeping more of what I earned this year?”

For the first time in years, many Long Island families can say, “yes.”

Long Island is one of the most expensive places to live in the country. Between property taxes, the cost of raising a family, and everyday expenses, too many hardworking people have felt squeezed from every direction, and for years, the federal tax code only made that burden worse.

That’s why I made it a priority to fight for real tax relief that reflects the reality of living here in New York. This year, we’re seeing the results.

Long Island families are seeing the impact of quadrupling the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction to $40,000. That change alone is making a big difference for many families who were unfairly penalized simply for living in a high-cost state.

I’ve heard directly from constituents seeing that impact.

“As a retired officer and Long Island homeowner, the higher SALT deduction is real, meaningful relief. It helps me keep more of what I earned over a lifetime of service and helps make it possible to stay here on Long Island,” said Tim, a Long Island Retiree and lifelong homeowner.

We also delivered relief for working families by cutting taxes on tips and overtime. On Long Island, where so many people work long hours or rely on service-based income, that means real money back in people’s pockets.

“As a Suffolk County police officer, overtime is a part of the job. After working 900 overtime hours, being able to keep more of what I earn from those extra hours makes a real difference for my family. It’s money that goes straight toward our bills and day-to-day expenses,” one SCPD officer told my office.

Families raising kids are seeing benefits as well. The Child Tax Credit has been strengthened, helping parents keep up with the rising costs of childcare, education, and everyday life.

“As a parent of two on Long Island, every dollar counts right now. The Child Tax Credit helps cover the basics like groceries, school supplies, and childcare. It gives families like mine a little breathing room,” one Long Island Parent explained.

For many small business owners on Long Island, relief is also coming through the state’s Pass-Through Entity Tax (PTET). By allowing partnerships and S corporations to pay certain state taxes at the business level, PTET helps these local employers work around federal deduction limits and keep more resources invested in their businesses and employees.

This didn’t happen overnight. Getting here took sustained work, working closely with my Republican colleagues in the New York delegation, and ensuring Long Island’s voice was heard in every conversation. I spent months pushing to make sure any tax package reflected what families in our district are actually dealing with, not just what looks good on paper.

This Tax Day is an important moment. It’s proof that when we stay focused on the real challenges people are facing, we can deliver results that actually show up in people’s lives.

This year, as you file your taxes and see those numbers come together, I hope you’re seeing what I’ve been fighting for: real relief, real savings, and a tax code that finally starts to work for you.

Congressman Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) has represented New York’s Second Congressional District (NY-02) since 2021. NY-02 contains the entire Town of Babylon, the entire Town of Islip, and portions of the Town of Oyster Bay. Within the Town of Brookhaven, the district includes Blue Point, Brookhaven hamlet, East Patchogue, Fire Island, Bellport, Mastic, Mastic Beach, North Bellport, North Patchogue, Patchogue, Shirley, South Haven, and parts of Holbrook, Holtsville, Medford, and Yaphank.

Congressman Garbarino currently serves as Chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, sits on the committees on Ethics and Financial Services, and is a member of the Climate Solutions Caucus, the Problem Solvers Caucus, and the Republican Main Street Partnership.

The NY-02 district office is located at 31 Oak Street, Suite 20, in Patchogue and can be reached at 631-541-4225.