By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – Erie County Executive Joel Giambra has an ally in State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in his quest for relief from costly state mandates. Spitzer, who has already declared his intention to run for governor next year, was questioned about the county budget crisis during an appearance in Buffalo yesterday.
Spitzer said the high cost of Medicaid and other state mandates is not just a problem here.
"For years I've been saying Albany must assume the entirety of the Medicaid bill. If I'm elected governor that's what will happen. There is simply no room to impose on the Counties unfunded mandates,say you must provide these services, and figure out how to pay for it. That has driven property taxes up to a level which is simply un-affordable many individuals and has generated a lack of accountability in Albany," said Spitzer.
Spitzer would not say whether there are any formal investigations related to the county's budget crisis. He said the only active case involves a civil action stemming from last year's county office furniture scandal. Spitzer is suing James Spano, owner of Buffalo Office Interiors, for allegedly selling office furniture to the county at inflated prices.