Fiscal Crisis: Should NY State Cut Programs, or Raise Taxes?
Sunday, November 9th, 2008
New York State projects a budget deficit of $47 billion in the next four years, and $12.5 billion deficit in next year’s budget. How should the State best address this problem? Take our poll below, or let us know your opinion in the comments.
Watch the entire Town Hall meeting online.
The next step: Governor Paterson has convened an emergency session of the New York State Legislature on November 18 to evaluate nearly $2 billion in proposed budget cuts.
Read more about the Town Hall meeting at the Thirteen Pressroom and Inside Thirteen.
The CEOs who have millions in compensation should be taxed at the rate of %50 or more.
Before doing either, re-look at the budget considering what programs could be modified according to best practice standards, then we would be in a better place top ask the question.
I am disappointed in the simple-mindedness of your poll, as if there might be a one or the other solution. There will have to be some of one–taxes–and some of the other–cut some programs. And first get rid of the huge waste tolerated and encouraged by the state government. You encourage stupid polarized thinking in this poll and YOU need to get smarter so that voters can too.
How about starting by cutting the pork! So much waste!!
Get it from Barney Frank, Frank Raines, Chris Dodd, Chuck Schumer & Congress who lied to Pres. Bush & Sen. McCain before the Senate Banking Committee on at least 2 occasions.
The first place to look is at Medicaid there is an enormous amount of waste there and then look at the municipal benefit and pension system and bring them in line with the public sector. Finally, look at the school system, NY pays more per pupil then anyone in the country and our results are no better. The system is wasting resources.
For heavens’ sake, do not raise taxes on the people of New York State. Do what Mayor Bloomberg has done and is doing in the City of New York, ask every State Agency to execute a percentage reduction in its spending. Increasing taxation will simply drive those who can move out of the State.
I don’t want to hear ONE THING from Patterson about raising taxes. He had a chance to get MILLIONS from the Federal Government and wouldn’t even let congestion pricing be voted on. If you’re going to throw away millions of dollars that NY could use, don’t come to me with your hand out afterward. And yes, I live in NY.
i am a manager in health care at long beach medical center on long island. due to past budget cuts we are in financial trouble, we are here on a barier island serving the population that would have no other access to emergency room care when time means everything. last week two private imaging offices closed their doors and others will follow. the state has many problems providing services currently how can you cut back the programs that are essential to the survival of people. the situation with developmentaly disabled persons not getting services they need is unforgivable. over 2000 clients on long island have not group home to go to and they have elderly parents traped in homes caring for them.
the mortgage chrises needs to be addressed and people held accountable for their misdeeds. one of my daughters a widow of a nassau county police officer has a mortgage with indimac bank that balooned to 12.5% they will not work with her and reduce her rate or even change her due date to the 15th of the month instead of the first. when the rate balloned her mortgage went up ~$1,000.00/mo. lets look at getting some money back from these types of deceptive people and not allow those types to do business in nys. she lost her job in one of the imaging offices that closed. we need to help the people and create new ways for them to reclaim their lives and collet money for those that have deceptive tactics in the form of fines. new roads and the infrastructure types of projects can wait, lets help the people who are hurting. cuting back on human services will be a disaster.
Get rid of waste first.
Eliminate all capital taxes and taxes on labor and greatly increase taxes on property to discourage the kind of land speculation that got us into this mess in the first place. This single tax idea goes back to Henry George in the 19th century and is the only way to prevent booms and busts AND to encourage innovation (true capital, not just virtual money), and labor (which would not be penalized by taxes for working harder). Land, which is fixed and cannot be increased, should be taxed and the proceeds plowed back into the community.
P.S. Congestion pricing is just one of many ways to tax Land (defined as all the material resources of the universe).
There are lots of ideas and workable solutions. You just have to want to solve the problem and not choose to get bogged down in rhetoric or reasons why nothing works but either cutting programs or raising taxes.How about backing alternative healing professionals whose work is more effective and less expensive by far? It could be done easily, even going into different neighborhoods, and especially for seniors. How about asking parents and others to volunteer for school programs, including refurbishing, painting (yes, I know…the unions) tutoring and enrichment of education does not have to suffer. Yes, raise some revenue. Remember those bake sales of old? Just a model, but an idea. How about some collaboration with the Botanical Gardens for small gardens to feed the food outreach groups? etc. etc.
It would be true folly for Governor Patterson to cut state education spending at this time. In all likelihood, President Obama will demonstrate at the federal level what the good Governor surely must recognize for all New Yorkers: that education builds the foundation for the enlightened workforce and citizenry of the future. New York simply can’t afford to be in denial of that fact..
How about limiting member items? Why do members get reimbursements for traveling to Albany expenses? Maybe reductions in budgets in agencies.NY has been described as one of the worst state operations by the Brennen center.
Number #3 and Number#7 Sounds Good To Me…
We need to get our financial institutions back on their feet. Ralph Nader had the great idea of charging sales tax on Wall Street transactions at 1%. he thinks in one year that would earn $500 bn and restore faith in some justice that those who benefited most bear some of the burden for the cure. We need to get smart about what we spend without punishing those who work hard. We need everything on the list to get less wasteful but we need everything and the list without more taxes at a time when everything is going up and earnings go down.
Cut feather bedding in teacher contracts. Work rules that limit classroom hours below 32 hours per week must be stopped. Class sizes increased in 9-12 grades to 18-28 range. Education Costs out of control
We have to stop cutting and start reading. I am sure that if Governor Patterson went through the budget line by line, there would areas that could be streamlined and therefore cost less. New York is a wonderful place to live, but there are many areas that can be fixed. Healthcare, how did this become profitable? A family is on medicaid, they need help, we should help, everyone should have healthcare. Now the family has to pick a plan. Each year they have to renew with that plan. Where’s the money. Why are managed medicaid plans popping up like weeds all over NY. The doctor’s aren’t getting it. An office visit fee is so low that most doctors can’t afford to take the plan. So who gets the money? The board of Education, oh I’m sorry, that’s right we had to change the name to the department of education, why? Why are our school districts replaced by school regions with an increase in the number of people employed, I don’t mean teachers, we need teachers, I don’t even mean principals and school administrators, I mean people to staff the districts as well as the regions. Why? Bloomberg said if he failed education he would not run again, well he failed and failed and now he wants to run a third term. Shouldn’t the people running our schools be teachers who at the very least spent a minimum of five years in a classroom. Shouldn’t the people running our health plans be doctors who have had a practice and understand the reimbursement system as well as the health care needs. I am so tired or trying to make ends meet in my own household budget while paying for the excesses in the goverments. Things like healthcare and education should not be profitable for individuals if the programs are paid for by tax dollars. The profit should be in the results, a healthier better educated population. We have to stop and take a breath and really look into where we are going, but more importantly look into where we have been and see if perhaps the old ways are not the right ways. This past week history was made. It was made because average people of all races and religions stood together, they gave up a little of their time to volunteer, make some phone calls, knock on doors make 25. donations, and it felt so good, they kept on doing it, and each life they touched thought about it and most of them started doing it as well. We learned this week that it is the power of all voices that are the strongest. So together let’s lift our voices and say to Governor Patterson, before you dictate to us what must be, let us say to you go through everything that is, thoughtfully, make sure it is vital and then tell us the results.
It is time to look at bringing pay and pension of State and Municipal workers in line with what private industry workers live with. Just look at how many Lawyers are being given credit for State pension when they are private contractors. That is just the tip of the iceberg.
Governor Paterson has to cut as needed to present a workable budget in the best interest of all residents of New York State.
I agree with Adrienne Munich when she said
“I am disappointed in the simple-mindedness of your poll, as if there might be a one or the other solution. There will have to be some of one–taxes–and some of the other–cut some programs. And first get rid of the huge waste tolerated and encouraged by the state government. You encourage stupid polarized thinking in this poll and YOU need to get smarter so that voters can too.”
Why not focus on other sources of revenue? How about getting REALLY serious about recycling — we have restaurants and fast food concessions that generate an ENORMOUS amount of waste — paper, plastic etc. — that ends up in a landfill. Let’s support commercial recycling and figure out a way to make a profit from this! Charge companies to recycle their waste and reinvest this money at the State and local level. We need to think creatively and outside the box, and find creative ways to raise revenue and cut costs! I’m tired of the worn out same-old same-old thinking in Albany and in Washington. We had a national financial crisis and the State was caught with its pants down. There has been a lot of talk about a new Apollo Project and promoting a green economy. I think Albany (and Washington, and City Hall) should start walking their talk by diversifying our economy in this direction.
I think this is not just a matter of either cutting or taxing. Of course taxes are necessary , but it’s time for our elected officials to start thinking “outside of the box”! What about trying to streamline gov’t. salaries (this wont be popular)or at least expecting more from the emplyees. Perhaps other incentives besides salary raises might help- stock incentives, alternate work hours/ night differentials,pay commensurate with results. These are not specific and each idea and area must be looked at seperately, but it’s always easiest to tax the people more or cut back on services- neither of which do we need. Instead of cutting education spending, keep a closer eye on where the money really goes! Other citizens made great suggestions re: getting parents involved, well dont make it an option- make it mandatory! They’re your kids take some responsibility in educating them ! (I am an educator by profession).These two suggestions may bring down costs, in any event it will make a more ‘hands-on’ school system.The medical situation is a fiasco. Tho I dont have any immediate ideas,again I suggest considering alternative ideas. Perhaps offer Drs. tax credits for seeing lower income patients, offer tax breaks for alternative medicines & preventitive practices (like massage, meditation, exercise, & nutrition).Finally in a city like NYC there must be other ways to increase revenue. I disagree w/the writer about the congesting pricing idea- glad it was voted down. But there must be other alternatives- let the state govt. get involved in the tourist industry-so that they can both supervise parks & public venues(upkeep & maintenance)as well as reap some of the benefits. Or perhaps get a percentage of the massive entertainment industry that thrives here? No concrete solutions here, but at least a start at thinking outside of the box.
Here are my suggestions:
First and foremost: Immediately stop all government subsidies to private developers. Why is the taxpayer funding private profits for millionaires?
The stadium and arena developments such as Atlantic Yards are almost entirely funded by government subsidies and yet the developers reap the rewards. We are broke and we can’t afford it. Dennis Kucinich has been investigating the public funding of such projects all over the country and the public has been bamboozled over and over again by the hope of some return on its investment. These projects always lose money, but the developers never do.
Install solar panels on all government buildings, including schools, libraries, etc. Get a really good deal for bulk buying of the panels and have a state work project for crews to install once they are properly trained.
Have thorough assessments of all government buildings to conserve energy. Give tax incentives for residents who pledge and then follow through to winterize their dwellings and use conservation methods to cut energy costs.
Have government vehicles be fleets of fuel efficient vehicles.
Low flow toilets in all government buildings…
especially the 1.6 gallon gravity toilets, which are a miracle and would save our precious water from being wasted.
Raise state taxes on those making more than $250,000 NOW. Encourage the end of wasteful packaging by offering incentives to businesses who streamline. That would cause less trash to accumulate and less to pick up.
Eliminate jobs through attrition and offer retirement packages to workers who make the top salaries in their fields.
Insist on true and fair competitive bidding for any and all equipment, supplies, etc. purchased by the state.
Offer opportunities for high school and college students all over the state to have panels and think tanks to brainstorm ideas to save and conserve. Offer scholarships to state institutions or tuition reimbursements for innovative ideas that are put into practice. It’s their future we are trying to insure. They have a stake in things being stable so they can live productive lives here.
1) Put term limits into Albany.
2) Allow propositions to be put on the ballot via
petition, not just be Assembly controlled.
3) Remove blanket protection for elected officials,
making rhem liable for criminal acts.
4) Make attendance mandatory for votes.
5) Limit “budget item” earmarks for all districts.
We need LEGISLATORS, not the political hacks who now inhabit Allbany. Running for office should not be to ‘feather one’s nest’ but to serve the citizenry of New York. Asking for a 4 year #50 billion bailout based on ctiminal negligence by the Albany crowd and then adding to our tax burden is like standing in a barrel half full of snot while you-know-what is pouring down on you. Do you duck down or just stand there? let’s get real fellas. Sadly, this election turned out to be G-I-G-O, so the suffering goes on.
YOU CAN USE MY NAME. I STAND BY MY WORDS
If you read enough of these, you arrive at some ideas which are not only worthy of consideration, they will help. This is where/ when people who are concerned and interested come in, not greedy, not selfish, not Republicans, not Democrats but people who wish to help others.
An amazing amount of inefficiency and lack of accountability in the public education sector- more money for education does not mean better education in NYS. I find it hard to believe all those lottery dollars are spent wisely and with expectations of performance where it is spent.
There definitely is a lot of waste and a lot of inefficiency in government, besides the earmarking. I really do not believe that cutting back on one thing or simply raising taxes will take care of the financial crisis. We probably need a multi- faceted approach. Do some of everything, plus eliminate the waste and inefficiency.
Education reduce those teachers that are not in the classroom but get a paycheck, why?? If they can not teach and a case is pending, use them in a gym on lunchroom duties. Detention time hallway monitors whatever.. No use get them out!! Mr.Governor what was the amount we got last year from the NY state lottery for education.. Its time to use that money for its purpose for our children future.we can not afford to take away again from our childrens education.
reduce OT by 8 hours on all departments.. see the savings there.. use alternate hours to cover someone may have to work 10-6pm instead of 8-4, or 11 to 7pm
to adjust.. ask each department head how their staff can do the above without anyone losing their job.
We dont need another tax raised for water or electricity freeze those necessary services for 2 years. This would help owner stablize their bills.
we dont get a 17 percent increase in rent why should we be increased in taxes 7- 10 percent. Lets put our car out for one day.. use mass transit, this would help the air and generate revenue for the transit authority. I could go on but if the above would be started, saving and jobs will also be saved. Isnt this the point to keep people working during the hard times. No free loaders, working actually working for that paycheck. It helps everyone.
The state political system of government is obsolete and systemically corrupt. County governments are just a microcosm of the federal government. Tax and spend has got ot GO… I agree with # 24 political hacks like Silver and Bruno have got to go, police and civil service pensioners who allow donut eating coffee drinking slackers to collect 50% of there pay at retirement has to stop. As a self empolyed business owner in Suffolk Co. I don’t have any money left over to fund my retirement. I pay 10 times more in taxes, user fees, surcharges, permit fees, Lic fees, workmans compensation, liability Ins. and on and on then comes my personal home expenses. Who wants to live in NY any longer and for what? I NEED A BAILOUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How about offering taxpayers some kind of incentive to purchase big ticket items. I need and can afford to buy a car. Why not offer me30-40$ of the purchase price when I close the deal. Pay it directly to the car dealer. Help ME!!! I worked hard and saved my money. i can buy a car. Help ME! Not the automakers who got us into this mess. That will allow government to help and encourage me to spend thousands of dollars on a new car. Makes sense to me. All I hear is cut, cut, cut. And all because of the attitudes and nusiness practices of banks, automakers and others.
Re-apportion the Lottery. Let the mega-winner take home $20 million instead of $25 million, etc. Where do all the Lottery proceeds GO anyways? Certainly not for education, which is what it originally was SUPPOSED to be used for!
Why are you underestimating the shortfall?
Your estimate of the shortfall is too little.
Reduce spending now. Cut back on employees.
Roll back salaries. Give a nonpaid forced holiday
several times a month for all employees. Do not raise taxes. Do not borrow. Eliminate debt. Sell assets.
The state should outsource the DMV to efficient call centers and provide customer service rating systems for all state service for customer to provide feedback on efficieny and quality of service so state workers are accountable to be efficient and avoid waste.
Can you ask the governor if he will clean out the MTA board to be composed of real New Yorkers who think of public transporation as CRITICAL component of the economic life and growth of the region or just wealthy individuals who think that they are entitled to their posts because of the benefits and have failed on their fiduciary duty to run the MTA efficiently - Anything being done to reverse the criminal way in which Pataki relied solely on debt to support the MTA operations
I live and work on Long Island, I also am a small business owner on Long Island. I believe the solution is to stop spending the middle class money to pay for the retired 4 year term politian’s benefits, and redirect it toward incentives in
creating new jobs and health for the middle class
who are now in proverity, can this be accomplished?
Can ny state extend unemployment benefits without waiting for the senate and President Bush?
Question for the Governor: What is the status of the various bill proposals regarding modifying or ending the luxury deregulation law and is it still a priority?
Sharon says it best in comment # 10 ” Get rid of waste first.” In my letter to the Governor dated Sept. 8, I proposed getting rid of (at the municipal, town, county and state level) the useless, senseless and wasteful practice of roadside or highway mowing. That would eliminate the cost for fuel, equipment, maintenance, labor and transportation of the equipment (tractors and mowers). It’s a big state with thousands of miles of major roads, especially interstate highways. I measured one small piece of this “right of way”; exit 39 on route 87 at Cumberland Head corners. It’s over 12 acres. Some “roadsides” are cut back over 200 feet. This is clearly not highway maintenance. Take a ride on the Thruway or down to Binghamton on route 88 and see how grossly overblown this practice has become. A total for the entire state would be hundreds of square miles. For the Nation, many thousands of square miles. This practice violates environmental laws involving pollution, erosion and destruction of natural habitat. Many state facilities mow large fields or meadows for no good reason. Millions can be saved by ceasing these practices along with other benefits to ALL NYS residents. Plowing and sanding/salting; YES !! mowing; NO !!!
Real estate developers in Manhattan should not be given tax subsidies of any kind-they should be taxed 15% on the sale of each and every co-op or condo-period. Commercial leases should be taxed at 15%. The MTA Board should be replaced and should be overseen by a citizen review Board. The state should go after corruption in state agencies. If all these things were done-there’d be no need to raise taxes.
How about taxing Millionaires?
I read many good ideas in these comments. I wish the governor reads them and uses them for good economy and cutting on waste. See # 39 for instance. From my part I wish the state or the city would raise a lot of money by enforcing the rules against unnecessary or annoying use of the horn in traffic jams and similar traffic problems.
The State should look at people that are on public asssistance. There are thousands of people who are on public assistance that are perfectly able to work but are to lazy to do so. I am in favor of public assistance for those that are in need. However the people who don’t have day care expenses and are perfectly healthy should not be getting welfare or WIC assistance.
Also, workmans compensation fraud amongst state employees. Expand the workmans Comp fraud investigation unit and start cracking down on the people abusing it. State employees are milking the state out of millions of dollars in claims. These people can be seen working on homes, second jobs, out in public,etc. There are more answers to solving the States fiscal crisis rather than placing the burden on State employees such as the survey on this web-site suggested.
The federal government just spent $750 billion to bailout banks and the mortgage industry. If the United States can spend $750 billion to bailout errant businesses (and no less still contemplate bonus packages for their executives) I can’t understand why the United States can’t spend $47 billion (over 4 years) to help out innocent New York taxpayers who have suffered irreparable harm due to the Wall Street crisis. Bonuses for executives…how about maintaining aid to both public schools and higher education instead? Governor Paterson, Senators Clinton and Schumer you’ve got to make sure that New York’s voice is heard in Washington and that our needs are addressed.
Knowledge in realtime accessible yet private and secure is essential to key our resources to their best use. Current information dictates we pursue a plant based whole food diet, use renewable energy sources decentralized as possible, promote community well being, and a healthy environment. Tax and funding policy promoting these policies will save money in health, public safety, energy costs, and education. Essential government roles in providing information, fair market places and safety may largely be done with low cost current computer and network technology.
BRAVO GOV.PATTERSON!!! Finally we got a human man in the governor’s chair. He seems like the fellow next door, non-political, a man who understands the needs of his neighbors. He has put a human face on the office of governor. Cut spending, trim the state workforce. Run it like a commercial business
not a haven for goof-offs. If you don’t work and produce results you’re OUT! Eliminate waste and abuses in the system. Give assistance to the poor, those who genuinely need it. Eliminate fraud in the welfare system. There are too many looking for a free ride. What happened to the work-fair program?
Establish something like the WPA system of the thirties. There are people in the system who don’t know what it is to WORK FOR A LIVING. We must build dignity and self respect if we expect NY State to prosper. Health care and education will build a worker base of people who can support the state by being employed wage-earners who pay taxes. There is much to be done. Do not penalize the elderly. They supported this country and state as hard working, tax paying citizens. Many fought to save the world. Those really old have what is now a miserly pension reduced in value by both the companies they worked for and our rampant inflation. I don’t ever remember seeing so many old people working. Go to WalMart or any fast food chain early in the day and there they are. BagBoy what a misnomer BagGrandpa is
more like it. Our whole system needs an over haul. I don’t envy Gov. Patterson’s job. I hope the system and selfish interests of politicans don’t beat him down. He is a decent man who will fight to bring NY State back to the respect of the world that this state deserves. Bod bless you Governor!
I listened with interest to Governor Paterson last evening and was very much impressed with his answers. He is on target with getting our budget reduced. And while I believe we will all feel the pinch, I also believe it is extremely necessary and our own fault we are in this mess. We are an extremely wasteful nation. Its time we looked at ourselves. Its also true that in many areas there is no accountability, such as school districts that waste our monies. We also feel the need to help others. But are we overdoing it? No all, but many people out there use the system. Do they really need all the help they ask for? Or can they help themselves? I am glad that Governor Paterson did not deter from the enormous task ahead of him which is to cut expenses. Its about time we become accountable and stop wasting our resources.
NYC has been a thorn in the fingers of NY State forever.Maybe we should start by letting the residents of NYC pay for their own schools & subways.
However, now that Obama is president I see the line for free handouts getting ever longer.Also, stop giving pay raises to those in the MTA that don,t produce.I’m a low grade manager in the MTA and have never received a merit raise in the seven years on my job, but it seems that the higher the pay grade the better your chances are of getting one.I say if everyone doesn’t get a COLA than no one should get one. That includes Albany too!
Please remember that education is not just K-12. Many, many NYers benefit from the community college & SUNY education systems. The budget crisis has the potential to devastate this level of education as well. As families come to realize that they cannot afford or are no longer willing to pay for private universities, let’s hope that SUNY and the community colleges are still in place & functioning. The Governor spoke of looking long term - let’s make sure that as people are displaced from some job sectors that the state university system is poised to assist, re-educate and retrain …. our long term future depends on it.
the governor should start by cutting state executive pay including himself to show that the burden would be share by all and not just us regular folks
Here is a list of items to consider when trying to find ways to cut the tax burden of New York State and it’s residents. 1) Go to a line item budget that prioritizes and puts the “luxuries” at the end of the list of expenses. 2) Stop spending so much money on sports and related projects like stadiums. They are great, but the players should get much smaller salaries and then the teams could afford to build their own facilities. 3) Reduce the amount of money being given to facilities that provide services to people with special needs. I feel we are obligated as civilized and caring people to help those of us in need through no fault of thier own, but the homes and services are now beyond that which a hard working person can give their own families. We spend just too much for “education” of people who really are at their maximum capacity for academics. Let’s teach life skills and job training that is practical–matched to a person’s potential. It is just too costly to have homes or schools staffed at a ratio of one to one. 4) Stop the state funding for projects such as demolition of the Mid-Town Plaza in Rochester. Corporations need to figure out how to balance their own budgets without taxpayers dollars stipends. 5) Begin to reduce and eliminate rent control for apts and condos in NYCity and especially stop those who are using them for offices and at home businesses. 6) Force via legislation or incentives, consolidation of neighboring small towns and cities to reduce government jobs and need for government funds to help those communities that are struggling while their neighbors are living in comfort from taxes collected on biger homes and more successful businesses. 7) Stop the practice of government employeees retiring at such young age and/or with so few years in gov. service.
Reduce the amount of benefits given to those on “welfare” or any form of state funded assistance unless the person WORKS. I see many people fully employed who have a tigter financial situation than someone getting free lunch, WIC, SSI, Housing Assistance, Food Stamps, Child Health Plus, etc. There seems to be no incentive to work,keep your family size small,live a health lifestyle, and be frugal. 9) Offer college funding for students to go to State and Community Schools, rather than the Private colleges that cost far beyond what is needed to get a good education. They are a luxury that wastes taxpayers dollars when we have limited funds. 10) Mandate schools to reduce the amount of money they spend on administrators. There are many many more ways to reduce school costs if you can overcome the teacher’s unions. They do not police themselves when it comes to incompitent teachers and raises just for putting in another year. 11) Tax luxuries more and reduce taxes on purchases of necessity. example: raises tax on boats, second homes, luxury cars, snowmobiles, etc. 12) Stop giving unemployment benefits year after year to the same people. Some cases are seasonal work and others deliberately don’t work hard or consistently so they end up unemployed often. 13) Require ALL properties to pay taxes, eliminating ANY tax exempt status!!! and that means churches, government building, colleges, non-profit, and all businesses!! That would really increase revinue and also would possibly allow a reduction in the homeowner’s property taxes. 14) Stop all benefits to illegal alliens. 15) Do find ways to reduce the salaries of CEO’s!!!! Those salaries end up raising the cost of goods and services to the taxpayers who are working hard and feel so frustrated. Thank you for seeking ideas from the residents of New York State. I welcome more brainstorming of ideas on how to live within our financial limitations, balancing needs, wants, obligations and self gratification, personal opinion and collective agreement, ideal and real.
It’s time to take school unions and administrators to task.As a Suffolk homeowner, any decrease in school funding will only raise my property taxes.
Make school district consolidation mandatory.Cap school taxes.Get a handle on these school unions.
If school districts have to lay off, make sure that the dead weight goes out the door.The union policy of last in is the first out only insures that we keep
lazy and useless teachers and administrators with bloated salaries and benefits.
I do not know what ahould be done. I do know that I am hanging by a thread. I wish someone would help me.
MY PROBLEM IS LOCAL PROPERTY & SCHOOL TAXES. MY TAXES WERE RAISED 2X THIS YEAR. SCHOOL TAX HAS INCREASE EVERY YEAR SINCE I HAVED LIVED HERE (27 YRS.) I AM TO THE POINT WHERE I JUST CAN’T HANDLE MY MTG. BECAUSE OF TAXES. I LIVE IN A VILLAGE & I PAY VILLAGE & TOWN TAX..THEY JUST PASSED FOR A BRAND NEW LIBRARY TAX. WENT UP THEN THEY WANTED FUND. FOR THIS LIBRARY TAX UP, THEN SCHOOL TAX WAS INCREASED ALL WITHIN MONTHS. LET THESE TEACHERS TEACH WITH THE BLACK BOARD & CHALK. WE MY GENERATION DID JUST FINE! GET RID OF THE BIG PAY.TEACHERS THAT ARE NOT DOING THERE JOB. $100.000.00 A YEAR FOR ASST. VP. LETS GET BACK TO EARNING OUR WAGE. THAT MEANS WORKING FOR IT!
Dear Governor Paterson,
The regional shares for education state aid were frozen years ago when Long Island had 13% of the population.
Long Island School Districts now educate 17% of the state population but still only get 13% of the regional shares.
When will this inequity be rectified so Long Islanders are no longer burdened with subsidizing upstate and New York City school districts?
Why are you pushing a 4% tax cap when voters passed 93% of the school district budgets last year? It is obvious that the people of the state view education as a top priority.
taxpayer/ homeowner
1. Higher tax brackets for the very wealthy.
2. Make sure everyone in the state is insured. This would reduce wasteful spending in the medical system. San Francisco has a special tax on every single restaurant meal served. This money goes into a pool to help pay for health insurance for those who are working, but uninsured. The idea being that if you can afford to buy a nice dinner, you can certainly afford a couple of dollars to help your fellow citizens. Make the tax lower in small towns and significantly higher in big cities, especially cities that have a high tourism rate. That’s one way to help recoup the failing dollar!
3. GREEN our state. Have public building audits, solar panels and green roofs on public buildings, reclaiming and recycling centers, tax breaks for homeowners who retrofit their houses to be greener. Conserve open space! Growth for the sake of growth is the philosophy of the cancer cell. More trees and a cleaner environment mean better health for all. It’s no surprise that places like the Bronx (where I live) have extremely high rates of asthma. Better health for all results in lower medical spending and more productive workplaces. Promote bicycle use and community gardens in cities. Serve protein-rich vegetarian meals in public schools. Vegetarian food is better for people, the environment, and it’s significantly less expensive.
4. Mandatory high school community service in local government.
The prosperity of a community is not just about money, but about the good health, happiness and contentment of it’s citizens.
Increase tobacco taxes again… the cost of tobacco related disease costs ALL New Yorkers, not just those that use tobacco! Tax spit tobacco more! Kids are starting to use this more and more because they can get it easier because it is cheaper! MOST IMPORTANTLY keep funding for programs that prove a return on investment for taxpayers such as the NYS tobacco control program that proves it effectiveness and saves New Yorkers money and lives and most importantly keeps kids from starting smoking, which in turn saves even more money! Collect the taxes from tobacco that was sold and is being sold to non-native Americans. New Yorkers are getting ripped off by not collecting these taxes!
Get rid of all the unnecessary cars,trucks,etc.that the state has for higher ups,like the Superintendents for prisons.What is there,like 73 prisons in the state.Gas,Insurance,Upkeep on these vehicles has to cost tax payers a few bucks,plus the salary of these positions, i think they can afford to drive there own vehicles to and from work.The state has to start looking in there own backyard,start trimming the tree from the top and not the little guy on the bottom all the time.Just a thought.
Consolidate departments! 65,000+ households are double-taxed on libraries due to overlapping districts. Assembly bills 3714, 3820 & 3816 would remedy this but Assembly & Senate can’t seem to move them anywhere. The SED of course doesn’t want to consolidate and loosen its grip on their empire while we pay twice for a service that one tax already provides; full access to any library!
As a school teacher I can’t see cutting funding for students. As it is, teachers spend so much of their own money to help the students in their classes. Would the governor consider asking the RICH to help the city they live in by paying more taxes on their incomes. Large companies like Citicorp and others should be encouraged to keep their headquarters in the US, not allowed to move them overseas. These major moves takes funding away from many New Yorker who rely on these companies for their jobs. Who is out their trying to help the families that make less then $200,000.!!!!! Adding more taxes just kills the little guy like us more. Tolls on every bridge just keeps the little guy from getting to work, squeeze us tight enought and we do break!!
I’ve lived in NYS all my life and moved from NYC to Suffolk county 26 years ago. Property taxes have increased disproportionately to middle class income. I’m a small business owner and the cost of doing business in NYS has become so high, looking at other states is becoming attractive. School district consolidation would reduce the redundancy we have and eliminate administrative positions without reducing the number of actual teachers. Patronage or political appointments need to be eliminated. I’m trying to avoid layoffs within my business but there may be no choice.
Raise taxes on all purchases. this way everyone will have to pay, the homeowner, the renter, the visitors and also everyone who works off the books,including the illegals who work for $12.00 -$25.00 per hr.and pay no taxes at all.
go through each agency, cut all perks to upper management, housing, vehicles, fuel, food, etc… Also, cut unnecessary travel between DOCS and other unnecessary medical trips. charge co-pays for medical in detention centers. reappeal the Rockefeller laws and release non violent inmates from prison to alternatives to incarceration. Do not plea bargain down from violent crimes with weapons and portray smoke and mirrors. re-evaluate sentencing restructuring.. the list goes on and on…
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