CHENANGO COUNTY – New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo is touting an initiative to cut property taxes across the state which may have only a nominal impact on Chenango County residents.

In an attempt to bolster his proposal to cut property taxes, the Governor on Wednesday launched a new website, www.CutPropertyTaxes.ny.gov, to encourage homeowners to learn more about the initiative. The site features information on the Governor’s pending tax cut plan along with statements of support from elected officials and advocacy groups; and it serves as a resource for people to have their opinions heard.

The rollout of the new website comes only weeks before the State Assembly is scheduled to vote on the Governor's executive budget which calls for a property tax freeze and a property tax “circuit breaker” that will affect an estimated two million low and middle income taxpayers.

But the impact on Chenango County may not be as large as hoped, explained Chenango County Treasurer William Craine.

“It may only amount to saving the average taxpayer $65 to $70 over the course of the year,” he said. “We applaud the Governor's concepts of freezing and lowering taxes because we think they are too high in New York; but there's a lot of paperwork that comes with this plan and when you have a county like Westchester of Rockland, where taxes are much higher, the reductions are bigger.”

Craine said for the small reductions that could take effect in Chenango County, it may be more feasible to unhinge Medicaid costs from property taxes and instead, have New York follow suit of most other states and assume the full burden of Medicaid. “To me, that seems like a better way to implement those tax cuts with less paper shuffling and administrative work,” Craine said.