Picente Responds To Cuomo’s Veto Of Mandate Relief Legislation

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is speaking out on Governor Andrew Cuomo's veto of the Public Defense Mandate Relief Act.

The legislation would have transferred the responsibility for funding of public defense from the counties to the state over a seven-year period.

Picente says he's beyond disappointed to see the Governor veto such an important piece of bi-partisan legislation.  He says not only would the bill have provided for a fairer form of public justice, it would have also brought true mandate relief.

Picente says the veto continues to place a state mandated tax burden on local levels of government who can least afford to pay it.

Nine state mandated programs currently take up 90 percent of county budgets.