Metro

Top Cuomo aid questions de Blasio’s ‘tax for taxing sake’

A top aide to Gov. Cuomo is questioning whether Mayor de Blasio wants to “tax for taxing sake” as he keeps pushing higher taxes on the rich to fund universal pre-K classes.

“The state is paying for what Mayor de Blasio wants. Why tax for taxing sake?,” Larry Schwartz, secretary to the governor, said Wednesday on WNYC radio.

“If the money is there, why raise taxes on anybody? The money is there.”

It’s the strongest statement Cuomo’s office has made against de Blasio’s tax-the-rich proposal, which would impact those earning $500,000 or more.

In his budget address Tuesday, Cuomo offered to have the state foot the bill to expand early education statewide, including in the city.

But de Blasio claimed he has a mandate to raise taxes on the city’s highest income earners, arguing tha would provide a more reliable revenue stream to fund pre-K than what the governor is proposing.

Schwartz said that argument is fill with “fallacies.”

He pointed out that any tax increase could be modified or repealed, as happened with the MTA payroll tax in 2011.

“There is no guarantee. What’s going to happen after five years?” Schwartz asked.

Cuomo, who is seeking re-election this fall, has proposed a $2 billion tax cutting plan over three years to provide relief to homeowners, renters and businesses.

Schwartz also took after de Blasio’s signature fight against income inequality.

“It’s not about income inequality,” Schwartz declared. “It’s about equal opportunity . . .It’s about providing equality of opportunity for everybody.”