ALBANY, N.Y. -- A plan by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to reduce local government costs with the overall goal to lower property taxes has been met with question marks by state legislative leaders.
"It's getting vetted right now. It's really interesting to get the feedback from local governments. To me, it's just confusing," said Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, R-Smithtown.
Cuomo's plan puts the focus on county leaders. County executives or county administrators would be required to develop proposals for sharing services or consolidating functions among local governments. The plan would then be voted on by voters in November.
Onondaga and Broome county leaders are already undertaking similar cost saving projects, but there's skepticism among local government leaders, as well as lawmakers who question how far the proposal will go.
"That kind of stuff will get worked out," said Flanagan, "but I'm not sure how it would really work or if it would work well."
New York ranks among the highest property taxes in the country. That growth has slowed in recent years with a cap on increases championed by Cuomo, but reducing the number of local governments has been a persistent goal for the governor.
"Whether that effort will actually produce plans that people will then vote on that will then actually save money, there might be some more simple and direct ways to achieve savings rather than put counties through that effort," said Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, D-New York.
Others like Ron Deutsch of Fiscal Policy Institute say Cuomo should be focusing on reducing mandated costs placed on local governments by Albany.
"The state needs to step up to the plate, pay for some of these mandates and that will relieve some of the property tax burden that middle class families are pinched with," said Deutsch.
Cuomo has argued he's tackled the biggest mandate in New York by capping the growth of Medicaid costs.