Cuomo takes aim at FasoCollins plan

ALBANY, N.Y. »

Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned Monday that taxes will increase by more than $2 billion if an Obamacare repeal includes making the state take over the local cost of the Medicaid program for the poor.

In an “open letter” to members of New York’s Congressional delegation, Cuomo said the GOP tax-relief plan devised by Rep. John Faso, R-19, “amounts to nothing more than a political Ponzi scheme, and New Yorkers aren’t fooled. The Faso- Collins shell game cuts $2.3 billion in federal funding to New York and will force every resident of this state to pay a ‘Faso- Collins Federal Tax’ added onto local property taxes to make up the difference to avoid decimation of our healthcare system.”

Cuomo was referring to Rep. Chris Collins, the former GOP Erie County executive who has signed on to Faso’s plan. Collins

has said the $163 billion state budget can easily absorb the $2.3 billion takeover of the county taxpayer share.

Asked for more detail about what kind of new tax Cuomo was proposing if the Faso amendment becomes law, a spokesman declined to elaborate. “It’s in the letter,” aide Rich Azzopardi replied in an email. “Faso Collins is robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

The state Democratic Committee, which Cuomo controls, posted this on Twitter later Monday: “Faso- Collins ‘ponzi scheme’ would hit New Yorkers w/a 26% tax hike so they can give tax breaks to the wealthiest 1%.”

“In the 19th Congres-

The letter was the latest broadside from Cuomo against the push to repeal Obamacare and replace it will a newhealthcare systemthat the GOP says will be less costly and provide better care.

sional District, more than $224 million is handed over from property taxpayers to pay for Cuomo’s Medicaid program,” Faso said in a “fact check” statement released Monday. “A typical homeowner pays between $350 and $500 per year for Cuomo’s mandated Medicaid costs. Rather than trimming his own bloated $160 billion budget, Cuomo insists on sticking it to homeowners, helping to drive more people from New York State. Over 30 percent of New Yorkers are on Medicaid, and our state’s Medicaid program costs over $60 billion each year — that’s more than Texas and Flor- ida combined. While the governor turns a blind eye to the repercussions of the property tax burden, Congressman Faso recognizes this burden is a critical factor in forcing many New Yorkers to flee our state.”

“Gov. Cuomo is doing what he does best, passing the buck on to hardworking New York families by proposing new taxes,” Collins said in a statement issued by his office Monday. “Instead of getting his house in order, Governor Cuomo wants taxpayers to foot the bill to protect his slush funds and pet projects. If Gov. Cuomo can’t find two percent savings in one of the most bloated state budgets in the country, perhaps it’s time for New Yorkers to hire someone who can.”

Collins announced Friday that the House amend- ment to require state Medicaid takeover by 2020 was included in the Senate version of the Obamacare repeal bill. “This was a long fought battle against the injustice in Albany and is a big victory for taxpayers,” Collins said.

The letter was the latest broadside from Cuomo against the push to repeal Obamacare and replace it will a new healthcare system that the GOP says will be less costly and provide better care.

In the letter, Cuomo called New York a “donor state” that pays in “$48 billion more in taxes to the federal government than it receives in federal spending. And at a time when middle class families are already struggling to make ends meet, new taxes will hurt our residents and drag down our economy.”