State Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb this week took the right approach in responding to New York Gov. David Paterson's proposal to cap the growth of state spending, and we hope it's a sign of the kind of leadership we can expect to see from Kolb in the future.

After Paterson announced what he called “major reform legislation” that would require state budgets to grow no more than the average rate of inflation from the three previous years, Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos issued a response calling Paterson's plan “too little, too late” and scolding the governor for recently signing into law “the biggest spending and tax increase in state history.”

And while we don't necessarily disagree with those sentiments, we were much more pleased with the tone of Kolb's response, in which he indicated - without resorting to cheap shots - a readiness and willingness of Republicans to work cooperatively with Democrats to make a spending growth cap a reality.

Kolb took the same approach on Wednesday in televised comments about the need for property tax reform. Pointing fingers doesn't solve anything, he said, and both parties need to get together and work on solutions.

The fact that Kolb is publicly saying that he's eager to work with a politically damaged Democratic governor gives us a reason to be optimistic that things really can change in Albany.

The need to curb the growth of state spending and property taxes is clear, and the way in which it can be accomplished is clear, too.

It will take leaders in both parties to rise above politics if the cycle of dysfunction in Albany can truly be broken.

Putting name calling and knee-jerk politics aside is a good way to start, and we encourage Kolb to maintain that demeanor as he grows into his new leadership position.