As he crisscrossed the state for three days this week making six State of the State Addresses, Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed nearly three dozen initiatives.

But one proposal that caught the eye of Cattaraugus County leaders — which would require preparation of a cost-saving, cost-sharing efficiency plan with municipalities — has officials feeling spurned.

The plan would be voted by the County Legislature, which would hold public hearings on the plan. County residents would vote on it in November 2017. The program is an extension of the property tax cap and freeze Cuomo pushed through the State Legislature in 2011.

Under the proposal released Monday and mentioned by Cuomo in his State of the State Address at the University of Buffalo, voters would have “the opportunity to approve locally-designed plans to lower the cost of local government.”

One slide showed some of the highest-taxed upstate counties. Cattaraugus County was in red and listed as No. 3.

Cattaraugus County Administrator Jack Searles said Cuomo’s implications have left him with “a high level of frustration.”

“It’s a shifting of blame and responsibility to counties when we’ve done everything we can to meet the tax cap,” he said.

In particular, Searles brought up a bill the governor vetoed that would have phased-in a state takeover of the costs of defending those who cannot afford a lawyer.

Cattaraugus County has budgeted $2.6 million in 2017 for the Public Defender’s Office and other groups providing defense services for the poor. After revenues of $465,000, the program will cost county taxpayers more than $2.1 million.

“It’s rather interesting that a week ago, he vetoed a major expansion of legal defense for the indigent and turns around and blames the counties for not controlling our costs,” Searles added.

County officials across the state agree with Searles that it’s the state mandates that are gobbling up local property tax dollars. The state issues new rules or guidelines counties are required to follow without providing adequate resources to pay for it.

“He’s blaming counties for not controlling costs when the state is driving our costs higher and telling the public it’s the county’s fault,” Searles said.

Searles also said he believes Cuomo chose not to give the traditional State of the State Address to a joint session of the Senate and Assembly in Albany because “he’s playing to the (regional) audience.”

While he hasn’t seen all the details of the governor’s proposal, Searles said it will probably be tied to rebate checks for property owners, similar to the property tax cap and freeze.

“There are still people in Cattaraugus County who haven’t got their (2017) rebate checks yet,” he added.

During his State of the State Address at UB’s Center for the Arts Monday afternoon, Cuomo said the tax freeze had saved New York property owners more than $17 billion and saved the typical homeowner about $2,100 over six years.

With the governor scheduled to issue his state budget proposal next week, county officials from across the state will be sure to have plenty to talk about at their winter conference in Albany at the end of the month, Searles said.

“The budget is the next shoe to drop,” the county administrator said. “With everything else that’s come out, there will be lots to discuss.”

County Legislature Chairman Paula Stockman, R-South Dayton, said the governor’s proposal for more intermunicipal cooperation and efficiencies echoes work the Strategic Planning Committee did in the past.

“In almost every single case, there was cost savings to the municipalities, but for the county, not so much,” Stockman said. “We looked at several scenarios to meet the tax freeze. Every department met that challenge.”

She added it would be “another challenge” if the governor’s proposal is approved by the State Legislature.

Stockman echoed Searles’ comments on looking to the governor for some relief from state mandates at the same time the tax cap and freeze has put the brakes on increases in the tax levy.

Stockman said she thinks these proposals are motivated by Cuomo’s ambitions for national political office, including possibly the presidency.

“He’s looking beyond New York,” she said.