Given a statewide platform, Bill Cherry took advantage of it to body-slam Albany about property taxes last week.
And although Mr. Cherry blasted Albany, he also offered to help reduce property taxes--to Governor Cuomo himself.
Mr. Cherry, Schoharie County Treasurer, is president of the New York State Association of Counties, and it was at a NYSAC conference in Albany Tuesday that he delivered his broadside.
"The president usually just does introductions," Mr. Cherry said. "But I felt I had to say something."
That 'something' was a blistering attack of Albany's strategy of blaming local governments for steadily-rising property taxes.
Enforcing the tax cap, demanding efficiency plans from local governments, having them put tax-cutting plans up for a vote, and punishing localities for not staying under the tax cap are evidence of Albany blaming villages, towns, counties and school districts for property tax increases.
"I realized a couple of years ago that it's not just a carrot and a stick. . . 'You do this and we won't hit you,' " Mr. Cherry said. "Now it's just a stick.
And in Albany, they're all in it together--Republicans and Democrats, the Governor, the legislature, Albany insiders."
Instead of laying the blame on local governments, Albany should tackle the real problem of unfunded mandates and how education is funded, Mr. Cherry told the 600 NYSAC members.
Those two items account for 85 percent of property taxes, but "redefining how schools are funded in this state is not even a part of the discussion," Mr. Cherry told the audience.
Property taxes are crippling the state and forcing people to move elsewhere, he said.
"Then the growing cost of government and schools falls on fewer people, and the exodus accelerates," Mr. Cherry said.
"We are at that tipping point."
He received a prolonged standing ovation after his speech, according to observers.
"He was able to capture how local governments feel," said Mark LaVigne, NYSAC's deputy director. "They appreciated what he said because they're experiencing it."
At the annual conference, NYSAC members exchange ideas about how to save money at local levels, and most have found innovative ways to do so, such as sharing services and equipment, Mr. Cherry said.
In fact, he added, county officials across the state are so efficient at saving money that Albany could learn from them.
Five hours after his speech, Mr. Cherry and NYSAC directors were meeting with Governor Cuomo and his advisors.
The session wasn't set up as a result of the speech but was planned about the time Mr. Cherry delivered it.
"I told the Governor, 'If you're really serious about tackling the problem of property taxes, I'll meet you anywhere and give you the best I have to offer,' " Mr. Cherry said.
"He neither accepted nor turned me down."
Mr. Cherry hopes the Governor takes him up on the offer, and so does Mr. LaVigne.
"There needs to be a greater partnership on how we reduce property taxes," Mr. LaVigne said.
"It's a long-term issue, but the conversation has to start somewhere."
Mr. Cherry agreed.
"If the Governor's serious, I'm ready," he said. "But if Albany's looking for a local government as a scapegoat, I don't want to talk."