Cuomo Takes Oath as New York Governor, Calls for Property Tax Cap in 2011

[The Northerner]

Andrew Cuomo, taking the oath of office as New York’s 56th governor today, said he stands by his plan to cap the growth of local property taxes because the state’s residents can’t afford to pay more.

The governor, in a 27-minute inaugural speech in Albany, said his attack on the state’s budget deficit, estimated at at least $11 billion, will begin with an “emergency financial reinvention” plan he will detail in his state-of-the-State speech Jan. 5. Financial changes must be accompanied by higher ethical standards and a more open government, he said.

Cuomo, 53, a Democrat, won the election on Nov. 2 with 61 percent of the vote after pledging to stand up to the Legislature and freeze state taxes. The reluctance of lawmakers to cut state spending delayed approval of the budget until four months after the fiscal year began, and left the state with a $1 billion gap in the current year.

“We will be taking on powerful interests and long entrenched patterns of behavior,” Cuomo said, as he spoke from the Capitol Building’s War Room, with a mural of explorer Samuel de Champlain and Mohawk Indians as a backdrop.

The son of former governor Mario Cuomo takes office after four years as attorney general. He called for cooperation from state workers and legislators of both parties. Cuomo won election without the support of state workers’ unions.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-01/n-y-s-cuomo-says-he-wants-property-tax-cap-this-year-update1-.html

[salvorhardin]

1. Oh great. Because that worked so well here in Indiana

Where my city alone laid off 300 teachers because the school district didn't have enough money to pay them.

[Historic NY]

2. They just let 900 state workers go....here in NY ...

some communites are laying off cops & fireman. You can bet he has to cut out the extra funding that is above & beyond what district raise. My district pull a fast one in addition to the tax the also collect 3% of my utility bill...people can't afford it plain & simple & there is no way to argue it either.

[eilen]

3. I know, our property taxes have risen as well

Part of the reason is the decreased funding from the state and county so the town has to pick up the slack. The slack is us. Shit rolls downhill.

I for one, prefer having quality safe public schools for our kids and the snow plowed from the roads. The town has cut as much as they can, their promised funding was cut in mid budget year so they have to raise the taxes to keep the services going.

NY is a donor state to the Fed. We don't get as much out as we pay in-- Even after deducting for state income and local property taxes.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

4. Don't know what happened to him. When he was my boss at HUD, he was fairly liberal.

Now, it's all this talk about going after the unions and not taxing the rich. What the fuck, Andy?!?!?!? :puke::puke:

[Historic NY]

5. He is being hired to cut taxes & make the state work, were broke.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. Of course, but that didn't answer my question. Why aren't the wealthy paying their fair share?

And why go after unions?

[Historic NY]

7. Oh you mean the double & triple dippers.......

that shouldn't have been collecting 2 pensions and no longer get waivers that they handed out like candy. I worked for almost 30 yrs civil service and I've seen some people just milk, milk and milk the system...thats the ones I suspect that are on the radar screens. Eleven in the legislature just put in for their state retirements and were reelected some of them collect 2-3 pensions along with social security...I think its those he is going after. There is a lot of abuse.We had retired NYPD cops collecting disability pensions from the city & state working full - time as cops in upstate depts. A little village & a cop in Orange county got whacked for over 250l to be paid back top the pension system. If thats not bad another one is collecting unemployment from a small village because he was a police chief that shouldn't have ever been hired. He too had a pension problem. The are hundreds of these cases including cops working full time in New Jersey while collecting disability pensions. I know a majority of the voters want something done, including union members why else would he have been elected.

As for the wealthy the elected mob in albany did away with the stock transfer tax that helped sink us even further...the rich get richer didn't you know.

and then the stupid crap like ...

http://www.pocketfives.com/f13/cuomo-guy-might-alright-lol-unions-609095/

The union should tell the state & the tax payers what they want? The wasted 17 million could have kept a few employees, wouldn't you say.