By Dave Bullard/WRVO
ALBANY, NY – The Chairwoman of the Tompkins County Legislature is among those calling for no cap on local taxes without significant mandate relief.
Martha Robertson traveled to Albany for a protest Wednesday.
"We have been raising county property taxes in order to pay for state programs for years," Robertson said. "90% of county property tax levies go to pay for state programs. Those are real bills, not excuses like Lt. Gov. Duffy says."
Legislative leaders recently announced they'd reached the framework of a deal to cap local property tax increases at 2% per year, with some exceptions.
"Everyone told us from the Governor on down that they'd never pass a tax cap without mandate relief. (But) that's what they're going to do," she said.
The Governor appointed a task force to come up with ways to relieve local governments of the costs of some state mandates. The group's report is not due until long after the current session of the State Legislature ends.