The Spitzer administration responds to the county executives
-
- March
- 4
Errol Cockfield. a spokesman for Gov. Eliot Spitzer, e-mailed this statement in response to the press conference held today by several county executives in the region who complained about the governor’s budget.
“The idea that somehow county governments will be forced to raise property taxes to cover what is a net positive impact from our State budget represents nothing more than a red herring. Should county executives carry through on their threat to raise property taxes, they will be doing so because of their own choices and their own judgments, not because of a State budget that amounts to a net win for their fiscal books. Even the worst-case scenario expressed by county advocates, which contradicts all of our facts to date, can’t be a justification for raising property taxes given how small a percentage the impact would be of their total revenues as well as of their discretionary spending growth. As all governments feel the squeeze of a worsening economy, it’s important we work together to responsibly address this challenge without burdening New Yorkers. We look forward to continuing to work with county governments to that end.”










And the old hot potato is passed back and forth. Maybe Andy should read between the lines of this steamroller’s press release and reconsider (after he recovers from being flattened- out) what “great friends” he and the governor are. And despite what Spitzer says about net-net, Spano will use the excuse that the state caused the next inevitable round of county tax increases. I have no use for any of them. Among Spitzer, Silver, Bruno and Spano, a great state octopus forms reaching its tentacles into all of our pockets even as we sleep. And all of this when believable pundits like the state comptroller tell us that we’re in for some mighty hard times.