Sept. 5, 2011
Today is Labor Day, a day when we rest and, perhaps, count our blessings for living in a free country. Well, so far part of it is free. Did you read about the non-free part? It was in the Aug. 21 Post-Journal – front page. It’s about the 2 percent tax cap imposed by New York state government.
“According to figures provided by Legislator John Runkle, R-Stockton, the county will pay $7,273,000 more to the state in 2012 than it did in 2011. Individually, that’s a $2,773,000 increase in Medicaid, a $2 million increase in the county’s retirement contribution and a $2.5 million increase for social services and health programs.”
County Executive Greg Edwards calls it, “extortion because we have no capacity to say no.” Runkle further pronounces, “Enacting this 2 percent tax cap while at the same time increasing state mandated county budget costs by 12 percent makes absolutely no sense to me.”
Dig out the 8/5 P-J and read the entire story. I don’t think I have to tell you what this means. I will, however, suggest that you contact your state representatives and Gov. Cuomo to let them know that you don’t like the way they do business.
Ann E. Weidman
Mayville
