Troy-Rensselaer County Kathleen M. Jimino is calling the Senate Majority’s acceleration of the State takeover of the local costs of Medicaid a step in the right direction to achieving the essential mandate relief that is vital to maintaining local services and limiting the property tax burden on homeowners across upstate New York. 

“Homeowners deserve a break from the overwhelming property tax burden they face that is brought on in large part by the cost of the unfunded mandates the State imposes.  In Rensselaer County 90 cents of every local tax dollar collected is used to pay for these State programs deemed necessary by our state leaders and bureaucrats all while those same state leaders and bureaucrats when unable to pay the bills from their $130 billion State budget send them to Counties and their local taxpayers to foot the bill,” said Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen M. Jimino.

New York requires the highest local contribution towards funding the Medicaid program with local governments contributing approximately $8 billion towards the cost of the program.  The next highest State is California which requires its local governments to provide at total of $1 billion in support.

“I commend the Senate Majority for recognizing the need for property tax and mandate relief by accelerating the Governor’s proposal to reduce the property tax share of Medicaid but caution that Counties and taxpayers need results now.  I urge residents to reach out to their senators and assembly members to strongly urge them to support real mandate relief,” stated Jimino.

For more information on the effect of mandates on Rensselaer County taxpayers please visit www.rensco.com and click the STOP MANDATES NOW icon. 

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