This op-ed states that New Yorkers already pay the highest local taxes in the nation by a long shot, and the State is about to make the problem worse. The Legislature recently passed a bill -- A9393A/S6457A -- that would prevent local officials from achieving savings in the skyrocketing cost of providing health insurance for government retirees and their dependents by prohibiting any reduction in benefits. This would further tie the hands of local officials in dealing with locally funded obligations. Taxpayers should watch out; unless Governor David Paterson vetoes the legislation, they're about to have their pockets picked.