Cutting New York’s sky-high property taxes by 30 percent is the goal of the tax plan unveiled Monday by Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Molinaro.

Speaking at an annual gathering of the Business Council, Molinaro framed the tax cut plan as a way of preventing more people from leaving the state.

"Over one million New Yorkers have left our state over the last decade,” Molinaro said at the retreat in Bolton Landing. "The out migration from New York is a particular crisis upstate where we’re witnessing entire communities hollow out."

Molinaro’s plan would:

• Make the state’s cap on property taxes permanent and it extend it to New York City;
• Shift Medicaid costs from the county governments to the state;
• Require a supermajority of the Legislature to increase taxes;
• Cap spending on the state level.

"The goal will be to control growth,” he said. “We know this is possible. Not to mention, I’m tired of Albany pretending as if serving poor people isn’t their responsibility."

But the plan could be a costly one for the state budget. Molinaro says more details will be released.

"We’ll have the full details," Molinaro said. "In fact, we’ll be releasing some of it today. I’m telling you right now, we have a detailed plan to pay for it. We don’t have to increase taxes to pay for it."

 

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s campaign blasted the proposal, pointing to the federal tax cut measure of 2017 that capped state and local government tax deductions at $10,000. Molinaro has opposed that provision in the tax law.

"His so-called ‘plan’ to cut taxes is heavy on rhetoric and light on details,” said spokeswoman Abbey Collins. "Maybe he doesn’t want to admit that instead of providing relief to hardworking New Yorkers, his 'plan' would slash spending on vital services like education, health care, and public safety. New Yorkers won’t be fooled by this latest gimmick."

Both in 2010 and 2014, the Business Council endorsed Cuomo. But Molinaro says while he’d welcome the group’s endorsement, he does not believe it is as key to his victory.

"I leave that to them. I’m not going to put anybody in an awkward position of anything,” Molinaro said. "I’m here to earn the support of business leaders, but as importantly, I’m here to earn the support of New Yorkers."

Cuomo is seeking a third term this November.