Why are taxes higher in New York ? (Leesburg, Lee: property taxes, housing)

[firemed]

Why are the taxes higher in New York ? To pay for the infrastructure. But hold on to your hats, Florida has been building government projects and floating bonds to pay for them. Impact fees and assesments were paying for a big part of this but now that new construction has slowed down who's going to pay for all these projects? I'd like to hear some educated opinions on this, and lets not go into insurance cause thats a whole different issue.

[faithfulFrank]

Dear Firemed,
I really do not know why.......but Money magazine calls NY every year TAX HELL.
We have a state tax, a NYC tax if you live or work there, (I don't) and they tax your deferred comp also. They do not tax your NYS pension or your social security.

In contrast, Florida does NOT have an income tax I'm told, and does not tax my deferred comp, my 457, (like a 401k for Gov't employees), my NYS pension or social security.

Also, this new house in Leesburg I'm buying will have property taxes of about $3000, half of my NYS property tax.

Yes, my homeowners insurance will be higher, but as you said, that is another subject, and the way I see it, I'm still WAY AHEAD. When I leave New York, lived here my whole life.....I will not look back.

[firemed]

The infrastructure or lack of has to be paid for. If its a city it cost more. I think the taxes will go up alot in the next 5 years. People on a fixed income can't keep pulling money they don't have.

[Retiredcoach]

The price of living in New York has much to do with the cost of providing services. Compare the salary of a teacher, human services worker, police officer, firefighter, etc. to the wages paid in Florida, and there just is no comparison. In New York, these well-trained professionals are compensated with a real living wage. The typical retired worker from the state of New York could easily afford the lifestyle of Florida from yesteryear, even though, more individuals may struggle a bit more today in the Florida economy. The typical member of the human service industry in Florida could rarely retire to New York, ever. Lifetime wages and benefits are a fraction of what an employee might expect in New York. The New York economy overall provides more opportunity to a greater number of its residents, and this very wealthy state has devised a means to redistribute this wealth, albeit taxes.

The Florida economy has been geared for the very wealthy and the retired. Tourism and recreation have supplemented this philosophy for many years. The middle class in Florida is not only shrinking, it is disappearing. Now, that great money source has taken a bit of a hit, Florida must re-examine priorities. If taxes need to be raised, which ones serve the most equitable means to redistribute wealth? What does the state do about rapidly increasing crime? How does the state provide better opportunities for the middle class to afford these taxes? I do not have the answers, but I hope that Florida government officials can find them soon.

[faithfulFrank]

Retiredcoach,
Very good post. As a Union firefighter, I would have to agree, and I'll further say I think people who do quality work deserve a living wage. I thank God for my union everyday, especially when you see the abuse some people have to endure.
To New York's credit, we have very good schools......we should have....I pay over $3000/year just for school taxes. Sad thing is, many of our jobs are leaving, so i'm basically paying to educate kids who leave to go elsewhere...

Our HUGE problem is our cadillac welfare system. Now before I get bashed, I know everyone deserves a degree of help, and anyone can find themselves in need sometime. Our problem is the GENERATIONS of welfare, with better healthcare then I have as a hard working union tax paying person.

Frank D.

[firemed]

Originally Posted by faithfulFrank

Retiredcoach,
Very good post. As a Union firefighter, I would have to agree, and I'll further say I think people who do quality work deserve a living wage. I thank God for my union everyday, especially when you see the abuse some people have to endure.
To New York's credit, we have very good schools......we should have....I pay over $3000/year just for school taxes. Sad thing is, many of our jobs are leaving, so i'm basically paying to educate kids who leave to go elsewhere...

Our HUGE problem is our cadillac welfare system. Now before I get bashed, I know everyone deserves a degree of help, and anyone can find themselves in need sometime. Our problem is the GENERATIONS of welfare, with better healthcare then I have as a hard working union tax paying person.

Frank D.

Good post Frank, Very true but the same thing is what you are seeing now in Florida.

[fopt65]

Originally Posted by faithfulFrank

Retiredcoach,
Very good post. As a Union firefighter, I would have to agree, and I'll further say I think people who do quality work deserve a living wage. I thank God for my union everyday, especially when you see the abuse some people have to endure.
To New York's credit, we have very good schools......we should have....I pay over $3000/year just for school taxes. Sad thing is, many of our jobs are leaving, so i'm basically paying to educate kids who leave to go elsewhere...

Our HUGE problem is our cadillac welfare system. Now before I get bashed, I know everyone deserves a degree of help, and anyone can find themselves in need sometime. Our problem is the GENERATIONS of welfare, with better healthcare then I have as a hard working union tax paying person.

Frank D.

Actually, the generous pensions and lifelong medical benefits for union governmental workers in NY are just as detrimental to the NY economy. Having 45 year olds who only worked for 20 years, retire and get pensions and medical insurance for the next 35 years is quite expensive to maintain.

[Retiredcoach]

My daughter will be graduating with her teaching degree this spring. Florida public schools are already recruiting at her university for the next school year... virtually offering jobs on the spot. Although the job market for teachers in most parts of Pennsylvania is very tight, I am giving her my best fatherly advice and suggesting that she bides her time substitute teaching in Pa. She may not have the sunshine and beaches within an hour of our home, but she will have an opportunity to realize the American dream in Pennsylvania a whole lot sooner than Florida.

My property taxes in suburban Pittsburgh are about $5000 per year for my home (which is probably worth around $350,000). For this $5000 per year, I have witnessed three of my children receive a topnotch education, a virtual 0% crime rate... I can park my car safely in my drive with the keys in it or leave my doors unlocked whenever I choose. I live within 15 minutes of 3 major malls, and it takes me that long to drive there. I do pay a state income tax of around 3%, but that is one bill that I will not need to pay when I retire.

I may eventually move to Florida (when the state politicians correct some of the havoc and system inequities that they have created), but I will always consider Pittsburgh my home. Florida retirement was/is a part of the American dream, but not only has nature delivered a devastating blow, why would anyone want to move only for the sunshine? We do have a state sales tax of 6% to 7%, but this tax does not affect clothing, food, medications, in Pa... the poor are not taxed on these life necessities. Not sure why Florida feels the need to tax the necessities at the same percenatge for rich and poor alike.

The middle class of Florida is disappearing because of the low wages, health benefits, and expensive housing... is this a place where the retired or the young want to establish their "new lives"? The honest and realistic individuals of this forum know that Florida will never be (nor return to) the place where dreams are realized until affordability returns.

[pianogal]

We do have a state sales tax of 6% to 7%, but this tax does not affect clothing, food, medications, in Pa... the poor are not taxed on these life necessities. Not sure why Florida feels the need to tax the necessities at the same percenatge for rich and poor alike.

Florida has NO sales tax on food and prescription drugs and has tax free sales every year for a week before school starts back so families can buy tax free clothing for their children.

[Retiredcoach]

Originally Posted by pianogal

We do have a state sales tax of 6% to 7%, but this tax does not affect clothing, food, medications, in Pa... the poor are not taxed on these life necessities. Not sure why Florida feels the need to tax the necessities at the same percenatge for rich and poor alike.

Florida has NO sales tax on food and prescription drugs and has tax free sales every year for a week before school starts back so families can buy tax free clothing for their children.

Sorry, I stand corrected.