Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo penned an op-ed slamming those on the left for endorsing ideas such as "defund the police" and "tax the rich."
"Fear of crime has become a major issue in our larger urban areas. Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco experience a high rate of widely publicized violent crimes and together with increased homelessness and general decay, cities appear 'out of control,'" Cuomo wrote in an op-ed for the New York Daily News published Wednesday.
"Current political forces are slow to recognize or resolve these issues and, in fact, compound the problem. 'Defund the police' and 'tax the rich' political movements suggest to the local citizens that the government is out of touch."
Cuomo's comments came as part of a larger piece calling on policymakers to take steps to prevent urban decay in America's major cities, arguing political extremism has caused paralysis among lawmakers who have failed to address "social forces generating an urban crisis."
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)
The former New York governor has remained mostly silent since resigning his duties as governor amid criticism of his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and allegations of sexual harassment, accusations Cuomo has denied. He argued in the op-ed that the pandemic fundamentally changed cities, citing polling showing a growing number of people would prefer suburban living to urban.
Cuomo also pointed to remote work, noting that a growing number of people do not need to commute to city centers anymore to get to work, giving people more flexibility of where they want to live.
Cuomo admitted many people have fled blue states such as California and New York for red or swing states such as Florida, Texas, Arizona, Tennessee and the Carolinas. While Cuomo acknowledges that warmer weather could play a role in the migration, he argues that "there are also government policies that can manage the forces at play."
A protester holds a "defund the police" sign. (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Cuomo argued one solution would be for Congress to repeal the SALT tax cap passed under former President Donald Trump, which caps the deductibility of state and local taxes for federal filers. That cap has been particularly troublesome for jurisdictions with high local taxes, which Cuomo argued is an example of "prejudicial tax policy."
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
"Democratic officials had pledged to repeal the SALT cap as soon as Trump was out of office," Cuomo said. "They have failed to honor the promise. This one move would in effect reduce the tax burden by nearly 40%. It could alter the economic calculus, literally overnight."
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Reached for comment by Fox News Digital on the op-ed, a representative for the former governor pointed to a speech Cuomo gave during a Palm Sunday service this year, noting the New York Democrat has previously called out the "defund the police" movement as extremist.
"Job one for government is to keep us safe. Basic public safety," Cuomo said during the remarks. "Hear these extremists say ‘defund the police?" What!? Those may be the three dumbest words ever spoken in politics."
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