The cap can be met.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and state lawmakers delivered a $132.6-billion budget, showing local governments and school districts that they too can tighten their belts.
By increasing state spending by less than 2 percent, leaders in Albany are doing what they've asked others to do with a property-tax cap. And they did it by April 1.
But let's face it: It is an election year for the legislature. Funny how that works.
While taxpayers cheered the tax cap as a way to control seemingly out-of-control bills -- particularly in Nassau and Suffolk counties, where taxes are among the highest in the nation -- local governments and school district leaders expressed opposition, fearing a cap wasn't realistic without mandate relief. And the cap already included exemptions for ballooning pension costs.
Turns out local governments really are trying to comply in this first year of capping. The state comptroller's office reports that roughly 80 percent of New York municipalities say they don't intend to exceed 2 percent growth.
Even though public schools got a healthy 4 percent increase in state aid, districts are grappling with their budgets for May approvals. Statewide, school levies have increased an average of 3 percent a year over 5 years. To hold down spending, tough choices must be made, such as tapping into reserves or cutting programs and staff. But with a cap still fresh in people's minds, school boards should be wary of breaking it.
