Bouyed by this morning’s Siena poll that shows overwhelming support among New York voters for taxing the rich, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver just issued the following statement:

“The results of today’s Siena College poll is further evidence that New Yorkers do not think millionaires and multi-millionaires should be getting a tax cut while working people are sacrificing and vital services are being cut. I remain firmly committed to this principle and I am hopeful that our partners in government will agree to the Assembly’s proposal to keep the current tax rates in place through next year for those making more than $1 million.”

Silver has made it clear he plans to push hard for the millionaire’s tax in the 2012-2013 budget talks, but also said he won’t hold up the process to get it. (Not that he has much choice in the matter, unless he wants to risk a government shut-down, thanks to the all-or-nothing budget extender option pioneered by former Gov. David Paterson).

The current PIT increase, which was put into place there years ago after a period of objection by Paterson, is scheduled to sunset at the end of December. The threshold was actually quite low ($250,000 a year for individuals), and that has raised objections from downstaters, since that’s not considered rich by NYC standards. (The same argument was made – successfully – in response to the Obama jobs plan by Sen. Chuck Schumer).

Last year, the Assembly Democrats altered their proposal to be a “true” millionaire’s tax – one that only impacted those earning $1 million or more annually. There was some support among Senate Republicans, too. Sen. John Bonacic, a Hudson Valley GOP lawmaker, said he would put forward his own bill, but Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos put the kibosh on that, and he remains opposed – as does Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

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