Governor Cuomo is pushing a plan that he says could cut property taxes in New York- by requiring county leaders to develop a cost-cutting plan, and let the voters decide whether it’s a good idea.
As governor, Cuomo does not directly control the local property tax. But he wants to require county executives to do something about the state’s highest in the nation rates. Under his plan, the county leaders would develop cost cutting blueprints, then submit them for a statewide ballot proposal so voters could decide whether they want the reductions, or not.
“The citizens can vote yes or no,” said Cuomo. “And the citizens can tell you whether they think you’re doing a good enough job of spending their money or not.”
Cuomo says the cost-cutting plans should focus on eliminating duplicative services, and consider joint purchases of expensive equipment, like snow plows and ambulances. The governor spoke in Westchester County, where he singled out the governance there as an example, saying 425 separate entities is too many.
“It is insanity,” Cuomo said.
Coincidentally, the Westchester County Executive, Rob Astorino, ran against Cuomo for governor in 2014. Astorino, who was not invited to the speech, in a statement called Cuomo “shameless”, and said the event was a “political rally masquerading as a State of the State address”.
Other County leaders across the state were caught somewhat off guard by the proposal, which a source says was first floated last December as part of a potential special session, and was rejected by lawmakers.
New York State Association of Counties executive director Steve Aquario did not dismiss the idea out of hand.
“The state is saying to people here it’s about time they have a say in how their money is spent,” Aquario said.
But he says the plan does not address the elephant in the room. And that is that counties run many expensive programs mandated by the state, but are forced to come up with much of the money themselves. Counties pay a large chunk of Medicaid health care for the poor, though the state does fund some yearly increases. Counties also foot the bill for legal services for the indigent. Cuomo on December 31st vetoed a bill by the legislature to help bail the counties out and provide funding for some legal services. Aquario says counties could turn the tables on Cuomo, and propose that the state fully fund health care and legal representation for the poor, as well as other unfunded mandates, then give those choices to voters.
“You’d see local governments suggesting ways for the state to pay for Medicaid and then have people vote on that,” he said.
Aquario served on a mandate relief task force created by Cuomo. He says counties offered ideas, but nothing came of the panel. And he says counties already consolidating services.
“If there are savings that are left out there right now, we’re going to try to get them,” Aquario said. “We don’t need the state to tell us to do that”.
The state’s Business Council took the middle road, saying they are pleased that Cuomo is focusing on reducing property taxes, but that it’s just “one step”, and that steps need to be taken to reduce workers compensation, pension, and other costs.
