ALBANY – Deputy State Senate Majority Leader John DeFrancisco signaled Monday that Republicans would oppose efforts to preserve a tax surcharge on state residents who earn more than $1 million.
“It doesn’t sound like the right way to go,” the Syracuse Republican told WCNY radio.
He said it would contradict good public policy to penalize the wealthy.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie backs the tax, which is set to expire at the end of the year.
Gov. Cuomo agreed to the surcharge in a 2011 special session and last month didn’t rule out the extension, saying he’d have to see “how much money do you need to make the budget work.”
DeFrancisco said the state should be cutting spending, not raising taxes, to meet budget shortfalls.
“Why not just cut the cost of government and then we’re more competitive with other governments? That’s the opposite way to try to attract people here,” he said.
“If you are going to follow a philosophy to try to make government work and try to attract people here, you don’t try to add on the burdens.”