To the Editor:

In proposing, passing and taking credit for the property tax cap, the Governor and Senators Ritchie, Blankenbush and Griffo discredited the St. Lawrence County Legislature and the other county legislatures in New York State.

They also discredited the 700 local school boards in our state, as well as all other local governments duly elected by the local constituents.

They tried to impose their will on duly elected officials who have the authority and the mandate to set taxes and to make laws based on local needs.

In other words the Governor and his allies in the state legislature just set up another mandate on local government.

The property tax cap did not address several main issues and will do further damage to New York State.

The issues it doesn’t address are mandate relief, income tax equity, the New York State Lottery distribution of funds for education and a few other issues.

Also a property tax cap that requires a by-pass vote of a 60 per cent super majority locally is not in the interest of local democratic rule.

It should be up to the local taxpayer, county legislature, local government and local school districts and their voters to set and approve local taxes. It should not be another state

mandate.

The issue of mandate relief: Yes, there needs to be mandate relief.

However there should be no mandate relief when it comes to health and safety issues nor issues. Let’s not be too hasty. Some mandates are necessary.

The issue of local control: It is incumbent on the county board of legislators, as the closest representatives of the local taxpayer to make the final decisions on our taxes, not the state legislature, and surely not the governor.

It is up to each and every one of our locally elected officials to study their budgets, study the needs of St. Lawrence County, make informed decisions on the budget and then defend your decisions, not relying on an arbitrary percentage decided by the Governor.

Two percent is too low. It doesn’t even cover the rate of inflation (2.9%) or the rise in the costs of the mandates.

Local elected officials at all levels need to do right by addressing local needs.

Don’t be bullied by the governor. The 2 percent property tax cap may be good for him politically on the national level but our local situations demand better.

Joseph M. Liotta

Norwood