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05/04/2011 08:12 PM

Cuomo plans statewide tour to push legislation

By: Nick Reisman

Governor Andrew Cuomo is getting ready for another road trip. It'll be a tour of the state to drum up support for his legislative agenda. Our Nick Reisman has more on the Cuomo administration's travel plans.

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ALBANY, N.Y. -- They're hitting the road. Governor Andrew Cuomo and his cabinet plan to hold events around the state in the coming weeks to build popular support for three key issues: Gay marriage, an ethics overhaul and a property tax cap.

"Editorial boards, events. How did we get the budget passed? It passed because I did dozens and dozens of events," Cuomo said.

The long-expected barnstorming campaign comes within the last two months of the legislative session. And while the tax cap has broad support reflected in public opinion polls, the governor may have a difficult time getting it through the Democratic-led Assembly.

"I think it's fair to say the Assembly believes my proposal is too rigid and there should be more flexibility in it. I believe the strongest proposal is the proposal we put forward. Now that is different than say, I'm not saying, my idea is the best and therefore I'll be deaf to any discussion on the proposal. I understand other people may have opinions, the Legislature may have opinions and I'm open to discussing different options," Cuomo said.

Senate Republicans approved the governor's two percent cap January 31st, but concerns remain over cutting costly required spending for local governments and school districts. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said Tuesday he would introduce his own tax cap bill, but with unspecified changes.

"We will have a tax cap bill," Silver said.

Senate Republicans, meanwhile, are trying to push the Assembly to take up the tax cap they approved. Majority Leader Dean Skelos has said negotiations could water down the bill. But other Republican lawmakers on Wednesday suggested they may have no choice but to seek a compromise on the cap.

"It's always good to compromise. You want to have results. It's nice to have principles and stay with those principles, but if you don't get a result, it's not good," said State Senator John DeFrancisco.

As is often the case in Albany, the tax cap issue, along with an ethics bill and gay marriage legalization, is likely to come down to the final days of the regular legislative session during the last week of June.