Tax-Capping Skelos Concerned About Paterson's Cuts

In response to David Paterson’s call for billions of dollars in new budget cuts, Republican State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos put out a statement opposing the reduction of aid to local governments because, he says, it might force a rise in local property taxes.

Which the State Senate just voted to cap.

Skelos said in a public statement, “While we are working cooperatively to get a head start on the 2009-10 State Budget, it’s important that the Governor and Legislature not take any actions that would force local governments to raise their local taxes to make up for a shortfall from Albany. We are concerned that reducing local government assistance funding may have such an effect.”