Some NY Republicans stand firm as Trump shifts on SALT cap

Plus: a 'Big Ugly' is not expected as lawmakers continue pushing end-of-session priorities.

Good afternoon — it’s Tuesday and World Bee Day.

In today’s CapCon:

• President Donald J. Trump’s stance on the SALT cap shifted Tuesday but some Republicans from New York in Congress aren’t budging.

• Will there be a “Big Ugly” this year? And here’s when the Senate will discuss physician-assisted death, also called medical aid in dying.

• Lawmakers plan to send a proposal to voters next year that would allow more state Supreme Court justices to be elected.

• Tomorrow at the Capitol: Attorney General Letitia James and a hearing on harmful algal blooms.

• Hochul’s line-item budget vetoes are coming.

• A new bill would tweak an aspect of the new Foundation Aid formula just approved by lawmakers in the state budget.

Names in today’s CapCon: Anthony D’Esposito, Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, Laura Gillen, Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Andrew Garbarino, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Alex Bores, Letitia James, John Liu

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House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald J. Trump (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Associated Press)

💵 Republicans rebuffed as Trump shifts on SALT cap: ‘These are all very blue states’

It’s no secret that New York was a battleground state for control of Congress in last year’s elections.

Both parties were worried about the outcome of at least five seats and the pressure was high. Whoever won them would effectively decide who controlled Congress.

One of those seats was on Long Island, where U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito was facing an unexpectedly strong challenge from Laura Gillen, a former town supervisor for Hempstead in Nassau County.

So they brought in the big guns. President Donald J. Trump announced that he would hold a rally at the Nassau Coliseum in September. He knew the crowd he was seeking to appeal to.

“I will cut taxes for families, small business and workers, including restoring the SALT deduction, saving thousands of dollars for residents of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other high-cost states,” Trump told the crowd.

He was talking about the $10,000 cap on the amount of state and local taxes that filers could deduct from their federal taxes. That cap was imposed as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the major tax bill approved during Trump’s first term.

But before that cap was imposed, there was no limit on the deductibility of state and local taxes. In New York, particularly on Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley, it’s not uncommon for state and local taxes to exceed $10,000.

So when D’Esposito took the mic at Trump’s rally last fall, he made sure to mention it.

“I want Donald Trump to secure our border. I want Donald Trump to restore SALT,” D’Esposito said.

The same call was made moments later by Rep. Nick LaLota, another Republican from Long Island.

“I’m especially excited that just yesterday, Trump announced that he’s going to fight to bring our SALT deduction back,” LaLota said.

Neither Republican had any reason to doubt Trump’s commitment to lifting the cap. But eight months later, one big reason has emerged: Trump himself.

Rep. Mike Lawler (Jessica Hill/Associated Press)

🗣️ What Trump said and how Republicans have responded

Trump visited the U.S. Capitol Tuesday to pitch the priorities he wants included in the spending bill that’s slowly making its way through Congress.

That bill has been held up, in part, by Republicans who’ve said they won’t vote for it if it doesn’t include a significant increase or elimination of the SALT cap. Three of them are from New York: Rep. Mike Lawler, Rep. Andrew Garbarino, and LaLota.