74%

I have the "CAP" and pin to prove that I was one of three Chamber executives to attend a press conference today with Governor David Paterson in support of his proposal to establish a 4% cap on property tax increases.

I proudly stood with Governor Paterson and other NY citizens for limited taxation. His comments before the press conference with those of us in Albany to support this measure and during the press conference itself were impressive. He's met with advocates and opponents. He's reviewed other proposals and the comprehensive work of a state commission on property tax reform. He's willing to amend his proposal when reasonable arguments are raised. He even refrained from taking shots at Senate and Assembly leaders who have until now refused to even allow his proposal to be debated and voted on openly with the public watching.

With 74% of New Yorkers indicating their support for a property tax cap in a new poll, we can only hope that our elected officials in the legislature will be just as responsible and responsive to this call for an open debate and the creation of a reasonable property tax cap. It works in 24 other states. Having personally served as an elected member of a regional school board and a small town board in Massachusetts from 1986 to 1993, I can attest firsthand that a property tax cap - - MA has a 2 1/2 percent cap on the levy increase annually - - has a real positive impact on the way government seeks every efficiency imaginable. We need that type of fiscal discipline in NY if we are ever to reduce our #1 in the nation tax burden.