Question of the Day: Tax Levy Cap

John Cocchiola February 28, 2012 at 09:26 pm

2% a year is too much, and it's going in the wrong direction. If they're allowed 2% a year, they'll take it. Business is leaving Long Island and New York, people are paying more for things while making less, the property values have crashed, but we'll be expected to dig deep and come up with 2% more for school taxes each year. NY leads the country in outmigration, we'll be down to 27 Congressmen next year (once upon a time, we had almost 50). Businesses are leaving, people are following for jobs. The intentions behind the 2% cap may have been good, but I think because of the cap, we can count on a 2% raise each year. If you tell a kid they can only have two candies, they'll always take both. If they keep creaming the tax payer, Long Island will get exactly what it deserves.

Michael Bruschini February 28, 2012 at 11:44 pm

The state also imposes many mandates on municipal governments and school districts; the main and most common are healthcare and pensions. In recent memory, these two expenditures alone would've caused a tax levy increase of over 6%, or $1.5 million in the City Budget for Glen Cove. As a result, the city had to make cutbacks in other areas, and had to freeze hiring.
In schools, 9 period days become 8 period days, and classes and programs get cut.

Brian F. Pemberton March 1, 2012 at 03:32 am

We should have a 2% cap on how many politicians can get re-elected. But Mike is right. The mandates from Albany are the problem.

Kristina S. Heuser March 1, 2012 at 03:09 pm

John, you're absolutely right that if they are allowed 2%, they will take 2%. School taxes are out of control and driving people out of Long Island. I would like to see New York State implement a school voucher program. That way, at least if you're forced to pay school taxes, you can decide where your child attends school and, hence, where your money goes. Forcing the public schools to compete for the funds in this way will give them and the government that controls them an incentive to improve, rather than making taxpayers pay more each year without seeing any improvement in the quality of the education and/or school environment.