The president of the powerful state teachers union describes the Assembly’s tax cap as “a gimmick”, “a bad idea” and “a surprise”. 

During an appearance on The Capitol Pressroom earlier today, Richard Iannuzzi said most of the particulars of this bill, especially “some of the more offensive parts”, were not expected. 

We are dismayed at the nature of this bill – NOT that there would be a bill, and certainly the timing and the process raises serious questions.

While Iannuzzi would not use the word “betrayed”in reference to Speaker Sheldon Silver, he admitted to a level of frustration. For years NYSUT’s support among Assembly Democrats, forged by the bonds of ideology and campaign contributions, was so strong, it bordered on the dysfunctional.    No more. 

Today Iannuzzi said the union didn’t know of any details in the Assembly’s bill until after they broke from conference on Monday night.

For us, it’s time to re-evaluate our relationships with just about everything going on in Albany. 

Here are some other quotes from Iannuzzi –

On NYSUT changing its political strategy in Albany:

Our goal will be not to work with parties, but to work with individuals.

On a Cornell Conference in June that would have brought superintendents, school board presidents, local and state union leaders together to design evaluation systems for teachers: 

What I can tell you is NYSUT has pulled out of that conference. It’s difficult to talk about labor-management collaboration when the input of labor is ignored.

On the inclusion in the tax cap bill of language on rent regulations: 

I’m fascinated by rent control language being actually written into the tax cap bill.

NYSUT isn’t the only organization having difficulty with the tax cap. 

The Fiscal Policy Institute’s Frank Mauro, a former Secretary of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee had several questions.  For example Mauro wondered aloud about this logic, or lack thereof:  if  you propose an tax increase of more than 2% you need a 60% vote.  If you don’t get 60% of the vote,  the cap lapses back to 0% rather than 2%. 

Mauro also questions the effectiveness of the pension carve out saying it would have only applied to 3 budgets over the last 37 years.

                                  It’s not logical.

                                                                  – Frank Mauro

While acknowledging the bill isn’t perfect, and will cause some temporary pain, former Empire State Development Corporation head Dennis Mullen described the cap as a message to business leaders across the country who have come to view New York as an empire of taxing and regulation….

It sends a message that the state of NY is taking very positive steps to get taxes under control.  That’s a very powerful message both internally and externally. 

                                                                                      — Dennis Mullen