Otsego County Board Addresses Likely Rise in Taxes Due to Medicaid Costs

Yesterday morning at an Otsego County Board of Representatives meeting, Rep. Meg Kennedy, R-Hartwick/Milford/New Lisbon informed the board that Medicaid costs will rise for counties due to Governor Cuomo needing to close the state’s $6 billion budget gap according to AllOTSEGO. That could mean Otsego County may end up paying a maximum of $1.9 million. What that means for county tax payers is an “immediate 15-20 percent property tax hike in the county,” according to board chairman David Bliss, R-Cooperstown/Town of Middlefield.

The board plans to implore to Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders with a resolution that states: “If state experts in the Medicaid program are unable to develop solutions to control growth in the Medicaid program, it will be difficult for counties to do so, since they do not have the authority to control costs.” The board is hoping that Cuomo and the legislature will “maintain the zero percent Medicaid growth cap for counties.”

For more on this story provided in partnership with AllOTSEGO, click here.