NEW HARTFORD – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22) joined elected officials in the 22nd District to announce the passage of the Collins-Faso Amendment on Thursday, May 11, which would relieve New York State of $7.5 billion in unfunded Albany mandates.

For decades, Albany has forced Upstate counties to bear a disproportionally large share of the state’s Medicaid budget. This amendment would prohibit states from passing Medicaid costs on to counties.

Out of all 50 states, New York burdens its counties with the highest percent of Medicaid responsibility. New York counties pay nearly seven times more than counties in California pay, even though California outstrips New York’s Medicaid program in both enrollment and expenditures.

In 2015, the 22nd District paid $167.7 million to support Albany’s expansive Medicaid program. Ultimately, these unfunded mandates cause our property taxes to soar while diverting important local money that could be used to fund our schools, improve our roads, and support our first responders.