ALBANY, N.Y. - Many counties are feeling the budget pinch. Schenectady County faces a 7.5 percent tax hike. In Rensselaer the increase is less, but still a challenge to make the balance.
"I don't have anymore money," said Governor Cuomo during a cabinet meeting on Monday.
Cuomo said Monday that the State balanced its budget and local governments need to do the same.
"We had to do it without going to the tax payer and saying we know you're not in the position to pay but we want more money. That's called life and that's called the constraints that you are in as a government official today," said Cuomo.
But many local governments are still looking for relief from the state. Rensselaer County Legislator, Harry Tutunjian says he thinks the state could try harder to help out.
"As a county we always look for mandate relief and it's something that's talked about and the terms are thrown around. To hear the Governor say there isn't any coming, I'm questioning whether or not they're trying hard enough. I think they could be overhauling Medicaid at the state level," said Tutunjian.
Cuomo says local government will not be getting anymore help from the state because it can't afford it. He says the state has already helped with mandate relief as much as it can.
"We did the mandate relief. I think it becomes an attempt to avoid the obvious. At one point the numbers have to balance. You can only spend that which you take in," said Cuomo.
Rensselaer County's proposed budget calls for a 2 percent tax increase. Tutunjian hopes to lower that number even more.
"Property taxes continue to rise, we're going to see more people moving out, more people losing their homes. Not only the bank foreclosures but the property tax foreclosures and that doesn't help the municipalities at all, said Tutunjian.
Cuomo says it is crucial to not raise taxes right now.
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