YNN
by Web Staff
October 5, 2010

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Green Party candidate for Governor says the state needs to ease the crushing burden of property taxes. But Howie Hawkins says a cap on those taxes in the wrong way to go.

Hawkins says taxes would come down with several steps, ranging from a state takeover of the costs of Medicaid and education to the development of a single payer health care system for New Yorkers. The cap, he says, is the worst step that could be taken.

"As I go around the state, I run into county legislators and they say this is going to handcuff them and they're going to have to cut schools, public safety, like fire and police, road maintenance and other essential services if this one-size-fits-all central mandate comes down to cap or cut state taxes," Hawkins said.

Hawkins says the democratic and republican candidates for governor show they are outside the "mainstream" by backing the cap.