Local officials call on State Legislature to ‘Keep the Cap’ 

Representatives from county governments across New York State were at the State Capitol recently to voice their concerns over changes to the Medicaid program contained in the Executive Budget, and to call on state lawmakers to maintain the current Medicaid cost control caps. 

“Counties are eager to be constructive partners in finding ways to strengthen Medicaid and improve the quality of care for our residents,” said Martha Sauerbrey, chairwomen of Tioga County Legislature. 

She added, “But our local taxpayers can’t afford additional tax increases or cuts to services, which is why we must maintain the current state cost control caps.” 

New York is one of the few states in the nation to require county funds to cover the cost of Medicaid, and the only one that required county taxpayers to fund a full half of the State’s share when it was implemented in 1966. Today, counties and New York City fund $7.6 billion of the state’s more than $70 billion Medicaid program. 

In 2012, to help counties and local governments adhere to the 2 percent property tax cap, Governor Cuomo and State Lawmakers enacted a zero growth Medicaid cap. The cap helped counties to stabilize and, in several cases, reduce county property tax rate levies. 

“The current caps to Medicaid costs have been critical to bending the curve of perpetually increasing property taxes while ensuring counties can afford to provide the services our residents depend on,” said Sauerbrey, adding, “If counties are forced to absorb additional Medicaid costs, we’ll have no choice but to raise taxes or cut services.” 

The proposals contained in the Executive Budget are expected to shift approximately $150 million in additional costs on to New York counties. In Tioga County, that could result in dramatic increases in property taxes or cuts to services including veterans’ services, road maintenance and repair, youth services, public libraries, STOP-DWI initiatives, Meals on Wheels, and other senior services, tourism promotion, and more. 

“We recognize that cost drivers like expanded eligibility and more access to long-term care are a positive thing that have made a real difference in many people’s lives,” Sauerbrey said. “But these costs are not controlled by the counties and we think it’s unfair to ask counties to foot the bill for increases that we have no control over.”