Now that the final report from the Commission on Property Tax Relief is in, we're hopeful that the state Legislature will finally be able to pass legislation to keep local school taxes in check.

The key element of the so-called Suozzi Commission report is limiting the growth in spending by school districts to 4 percent each year. Remember, the plan would not cut aid to schools but simply keep increases in spending from getting out of control, as they have in the past.

The biggest obstacle going forward will likely be Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who last summer stood in the way of progress even while Senate Republicans voiced support for Gov. David Paterson's version of a similar plan.

Sure, the state teachers' union will fight any attempt to limit school spending, and that seemed to weigh heavily on Silver the last time around, but the fact that New Yorkers suffer the highest local tax burden in the nation can no longer be ignored.

We don't expect any legislation to come out of Albany before the end of the year, but as the Legislature gets back to work on addressing the state's fiscal problems, the very real day-to-day problems of the average taxpayer must also be dealt with head-on.

Paterson supports the tax cap, so with the state Assembly and Senate soon to be in control of Democrats, the argument that partisanship is to blame for halting progress will be off the table.

Paterson needs to push this issue with leaders of both houses to ensure another six months don't go by before we see some results.

The Legislature needs to get this done, and there's no reason it can't be accomplished in January if the governor can convince others to follow his lead.