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You're talking about what "people" supposedly want. That is nothing but presumption on your part. I think it's great this thread is at the top of the forum. It keeps it all in one place instead of having 43 bazillion threads about the same thing. But whatever.
As for me having to do something, my position, which I freely state for myself, is that I don't have any big issues with police comp. As I'm not the one who wants to challenge the status quo, it is not up to me to take any action.
If you have contacted your reps, good for you for availing yourself of the democratic process. So, what did they say? They're public officials. Clue us all in on their response.
Yeah, I'd love to know how they responded, too. Maybe if you call them every day and email them every week, they'll change things the way you want them.
Sorry, there are as many opinions about that subject as there are citizens. And I don't intend to engage in that debate since the regular crowd has already voiced its opinion on the subject ... ad nauseum.
Thank you for admitting there IS no other way you know of to get taxes under control.
Telling you how a system or a process works based on having worked with it for decades is not repeating my personal views. It's providing information on a subject that you apparently have little or no knowledge about. Your refusal to accept that information is your personal view ... repeated over and over again.
You're going to be damned if you do and damned if you don't.
If you say something, you have an agenda, and maybe you're even lying to promote it. If you don't say something, the misinformation spreads.
I, for one, am glad a few people who have actually been cops and worked within the system participate here. The things you say are verified easily enough as it's all public information.
Sorry, there are as many opinions about that subject as there are citizens. And I don't intend to engage in that debate since the regular crowd has already voiced its opinion on the subject ... ad nauseum.
But you already have been engaging in that debate for a couple of years now. The only reason this is a topic for discussion, the only reason anyone has ever cared about how much their local teachers or police officers take home, is because that compensation accounts for a large percentage (somewhere around 65%) of the typical Nassau-Suffolk property tax bill.
If you believe that this compensation is both fair and necessary to maintain a high-level QOL then you either believe that A) there is some other part of the county/school district/etc. budget that can be reduced to bring taxes to a more acceptable level or B) the property taxes are already at "an acceptable level" - which you have every right to believe, but it's doubtful you'll find many others who agree.
If there is some other way to reduce spending while maintaining the current compensation of all civil servants, I think that would be fantastic.
You're going to be damned if you do and damned if you don't.
If you say something, you have an agenda, and maybe you're even lying to promote it. If you don't say something, the misinformation spreads.
I, for one, am glad a few people who have actually been cops and worked within the system participate here. The things you say are verified easily enough as it's all public information.
Let's put it very simply.
A person says " I think Nassau/Suffolk cops get paid too much". What is their agenda?
Can it be described by one of the following PBA tallking points:
a)they are jealous
b)they are criminals
c)they did poorly on the police test
Are those the only answers that come to your mind when the subject is raised, as an educated rational person?
....or maybe they are simply tax payers who see a system that disproportionately benefits a small number of people at the expense of others. We have a service that we need provided, but we pay way too much for it relative to what is required to get the job done.
PBA bluster aside, what part of that argument is not reasonable? Not one bit.
As a side not, saying that a cop or ex cop has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo is not an ad hominem or a personal attack, it's straight fact.
But you already have been engaging in that debate for a couple of years now. The only reason this is a topic for discussion, the only reason anyone has ever cared about how much their local teachers or police officers take home, is because that compensation accounts for a large percentage (somewhere around 65%) of the typical Nassau-Suffolk property tax bill.
If you believe that this compensation is both fair and necessary to maintain a high-level QOL then you either believe that A) there is some other part of the county/school district/etc. budget that can be reduced to bring taxes to a more acceptable level or B) the property taxes are already at "an acceptable level" - which you have every right to believe, but it's doubtful you'll find many others who agree.
If there is some other way to reduce spending while maintaining the current compensation of all civil servants, I think that would be fantastic.
Wow I always thought that the teachers compensation was 65 % of the total school tax, separate from the county general tax
I thought the Police officers compensation was like 9 or 10% of the general tax bill. Not 65% of the total property tax.
I just learned something new today. Thanks for the info Sean
B) the property taxes are already at "an acceptable level" - which you have every right to believe, but it's doubtful you'll find many others who agree.
This is no where near exact logic, as pay range and time in employment affect the output but the income given to civil servants comes from property taxes, yet Long Island is not building many new homes so the tax revenue stream is somewhat fixed. Some teachers unions have 7% raises for their teachers so if salaries keep increasing, taxes must increase as well. UNLESS there are other parts of the property taxes that can be reduced to offset the increase in civil service salaries every year.
In an economy where raises are unheard of in the private sector, don't you think the public sector shouldn't be receiving 7% raises? Although it is a contract that guarantees the salary increases and will hard to fight, especially with the Taylor Law mentioned on the Tax Relief Act post on this forum. Is it possible for the legislators to bust up the contracts if unions fail to re-negiotate?
Salaries are not 100% of the school and police tax, although they are the majority. You just learned something else today.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigMike50
Wow I always thought that the teachers compensation was 65 % of the total school tax, separate from the county general tax I thought the Police officers compensation was like 9 or 10% of the general tax bill. Not 65% of the total property tax.
I just learned something new today. Thanks for the info Sean
Look I said 65 % of the school tax go for compensation...that means pay and benefits. Moderator cut: snip
Last edited by Keeper; 01-19-2011 at 04:46 PM..
Reason: argumenative
Wow I always thought that the teachers compensation was 65 % of the total school tax, separate from the county general tax
I thought the Police officers compensation was like 9 or 10% of the general tax bill. Not 65% of the total property tax.
I just learned something new today.
I did not say that teacher's compensation was a part of the County general taxes. I said that the compensation of both teachers and police officers combined accounts for "....(somewhere around 65%) of the typical Nassau-Suffolk tax bill". All property taxes (except village/city) come mailed together in the same bill, at least they do in Nassau County. The school district portion, which is typically somewhere around 65-75% of the total tax bill, is made up of around 70-80% compensation. Either county police department typically accounts for somewhere around 60-70% of the remaining County/Town portion, and of that 60-70% compensation is about 70-80%....which would roughly work out to "like 9 or 10%" of the overall property tax bill, as you said.
These are all very rough estimates, although I have looked all of this information up in the past and can provide sources, charts, etc. if you give me some time.....that said, I'd still rather not bicker about numbers and would like to hear if anyone has a solution to Long Island's property tax problem that doesn't include decreasing levels of civil servant compensation.
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Thanks for the info Sean 
