“Mr. McGrath recently launched a partisan press release that quite mistakenly distorts facts on a Jefferson County legislative home rule request to maintain their long-standing sales tax policy.

“The legislation, co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Addie Russell and myself, was unanimously requested by a bi-partisan 15 to zero vote to continue the current local sales tax rate of 3.75 percent. It is not an increase.

“The bill continues a 2009 policy championed by Senator Darrel Aubertine at the time and Assemblywoman Russell, again at the request of the legislature.

The extension allows Jefferson County to commit to vitally important community-based projects like the $2 million housing construction project for Fort Drum and the $5 million senior assisted living program, just to name a few. To reject the Jefferson County home rule request would increase property taxes by $10 million countywide according to current county estimates. An average home worth $120,000 would see a property tax increase of nearly $300.”