A bill introduced this week by Long Island Sen. John Brooks is meant to change the way public education is funded by giving property tax relief to some homeowners.

The bill would provide $1.7 billion in tax cuts to homeowners that currently live in school districts that are heavily dependent on property taxes to fund the local schools.

The proposal would mostly look at expanding the STAR Property-Tax Freeze credit.

STAR provides rebate checks to homeowners in districts that comply with the 2 percent property tax cap. Parts of this program is set to expire this year, so Brooks’s proposal would continue this program and also expand it by providing almost $2 billion in property tax relief.

“We have long recognized that the use of residential property taxes to fund public education is by no means the most ideal and fair way to fund public education,” Brooks said in a statement.

Around 70 percent of the funding that flows into some school districts comes from residential property taxes. While there is a tax cap that prevents schools from raising taxes above either a 2 percent hike or the rate of inflation, Brooks's bill would also place a cap on how much school spending can affect residential property.

This $1.7 billion in tax relief would only be provided to districts after a final budget has been approved by voters, according to the proposal. This way the funds would only be used for tax relief and not additional spending. Residential property taxes must exceed 50 percent of the schools total spending three years ago in order for school districts to receive property tax relief. This three year lookback is being done so school districts would be unable to “manipulate the system” by increasing spending to qualify for tax relief.

By shifting these costs, this proposal says it outlines a way for the state to provide assistance to school districts excessively dependent on the use of residential property taxes to a model based on income. 

The bill is also sponsored by Sens. Monica Martinez and Kevin Thomas.