Gov. David Paterson offered Monday to back off from calling a special session of the state Legislature to consider a property tax cap, but only if the Assembly promises to approve a cap next year.
Several weeks ago, the governor vowed to call state legislators back to Albany before the November election for a special session on the property tax cap he has been championing for two years. Mr. Paterson cannot force the Assembly and Senate to vote, but he can compel them to return to the Capitol and gavel in—which would at the very least annoy many of them, especially those fighting to win re-election in their districts.
The Senate passed a property tax cap bill last summer, but the Assembly never voted on it. Its members are more closely allied to teachers unions, who oppose a cap because it would limit the revenue that school districts could raise to pay teachers…
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