Talk, but no action, on property tax cap

ALBANY -- The war of words over property taxes and rent regulations heated up Tuesday at the Capitol -- even if the action did not.

On a day both parties tried to position themselves on signature issues before the two-week Easter / Passover break, the legislature's top Republican said he won't go for a "watered down" cap on property taxes and accused Democrats of stalling the issue. Democrats denied that, and a spokesman for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Cuomo was "prepared to make a full-court press" around the state if legislators fail to act.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) urged Cuomo to cajole his fellow Democrats to support a bill limiting local property tax increases to 2 percent except in certain circumstances. The Republican-led Senate passed the measure in January.

Asked if he would be open to negotiation, Skelos said: "If it waters down the bill? No." But he stopped short of saying he wouldn't negotiate at all.

Meanwhile, another Long Island senator amended his stance that a property-tax cap shouldn't become law without a companion bill providing local mandate relief.

Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport) said that he "spoke inartfully" previously and that a tax-cap bill "should stand on its own," although he also thinks mandate relief is a priority.

The Republicans' attack came one day after Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) revved up pressure for renewing and expanding rent regulations for New York City apartments. The Democrat-led chamber overwhelmingly passed a bill to do so -- setting up a rent control-versus-tax cap showdown before the rent laws expire on June 15.