Mar 17, 2006 — Assemblyman Chris Ortloff, a Republican from Plattsburgh, is building support for a major property tax reform package. The bill fell short in a test vote earlier this week, but won support from 14 Democratic lawmakers. Ortloff's $5 billion plan is designed to slow increases in property taxes. It would also shift more public school and Medicaid costs onto the state b udget. That means taxpayers downstate would pick up more of the bill for education and social programs here in the North Country. Ortloff told Brian Mann that the property tax issue has become a crisis for many homeowners.