why is Suffolk co. so crappy? (Rochester, Babylon: credit, lawyer, equity)

[GigiBowman]

Originally Posted by iluvmycuties

I just read that in 2004, Long Island sent $8.1 billion to Albany in taxes and fees yet only received $5.2B in aid. The state is absorbing quite a bit from us and redistributing it to the northern part of the state. Robinhood? I don't think so.

We're supporting our entire state....and we're supporting never ending war. We borrow money from China to give aid to Israel and Pakistan. We give money to supply weapons to terrorist.... We blow up bridges in Iraq and then we pay to rebuild them....

I think Long Island is paying for everything!

[I'minformed2]

Originally Posted by iluvmycuties

I just read that in 2004, Long Island sent $8.1 billion to Albany in taxes and fees yet only received $5.2B in aid. The state is absorbing quite a bit from us and redistributing it to the northern part of the state. Robinhood? I don't think so.

PLEASE come visit out neck of the woods (Rochester...and really all of NYS north and west of Albany) before you accuse us of reaping ANY benifits in tax revenue distribution. We pay 7k taxes on $160k houses up here....and don't have the six figure salaries and other benifits of being within the alpha city of the world's hinterland. I love upstate NY and after living in NC for almost 13 years and VERY happy to be home in nys again....but there's no doubt WE are getting screwed..just as much if not more than downstate/LI.

to get somewhat more back on topic...shouldn't this thread be closed? It was started by someone who simply wanted to get arise out of people and bash the region.

[slynn41072]

Originally Posted by AlexisT

Yeah, Long Islanders move to get away from the taxes, then discover that most of their taxes were actually paying for services they liked and used. They move to low-tax areas and watch the taxes skyrocket to pay for services for all the newcomers.

Yes, there are efficiencies and savings to be made, and housing for people in my generation (I'm 30) is an issue. I sigh every time a development is shot down, because LI needs it. (And by the way, the people who move into those condos and apartments will be paying taxes to support the schools, so quit with the "overloading the schools" argument.) But the main reason we pay high taxes is because we have better services and higher pay. If you want a tax cut, you need to be prepared to turn to cops and teachers and tell them they're getting less money.

I moved from LI to get away from the taxes and the "lifestyle" of LI. I have been gone almost 6 years and I have no clue what you are talking about. We have great services and my hubby actually makes more money than we did on LI. If you want to believe that you pay higher taxes because of the services you get from living on LI, you really need to leave fantasy land. It cracks me up that people who NEVER lived anywhere else than NY make bold statements about the services and lifestyles of people living in 49 other states. I can totally understand people who move off LI and don't like where they moved to, they have something to compare. I lived on LI for 29 years and have lived off LI for 6. Please tell me what "services" I am missing out on, that I should be paying double what my taxes are now,double car insurance, double heating, double electric and other bills that I can't think of off the top of my head?
BTW - my taxes have gone up 200.00 in 6 years. My old house on LI has gone up 3400.00 in 6 years .
I'm sorry it had to come to my family moving away, but I had my future and my kids futures to think about.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by I'minformed2

PLEASE come visit out neck of the woods (Rochester...and really all of NYS north and west of Albany) before you accuse us of reaping ANY benifits in tax revenue distribution. We pay 7k taxes on $160k houses up here....and don't have the six figure salaries and other benifits of being within the alpha city of the world's hinterland. I love upstate NY and after living in NC for almost 13 years and VERY happy to be home in nys again....but there's no doubt WE are getting screwed..just as much if not more than downstate/LI.

to get somewhat more back on topic...shouldn't this thread be closed? It was started by someone who simply wanted to get arise out of people and bash the region.

Most of us throughout NYS are being bled to benefit NYC...look at this story I read today:

Report: NYC spends $65M a year on teachers not in classrooms - Yahoo! News

School and property taxes in NYC are insanely low in comparison to those we pay on LI, in Westchester or up in your region

As for the OP, he insulted, cut and run! As the thread is still open, I guess we should stop posting and let this thread die from lack of attention

[AlexisT]

Have you read the forums for many of the Sunbelt states here? Those are the "low tax" places LIers are fleeing to, and people are complaining about tax increases (or how thnigs aren't as good, or how Northerners are trying to remake the South) And if you don't believe you get what you pay for, try visiting Florida sometime. Or even California, where parents get hit up for contributions because of the property tax cap. The biggest factor in LI's high taxes are high salaries and benefits for public workers. You do realize, I hope, that LI has some of the best schools and lowest crime rates in the US?

BTW it isn't entirely fair to compare NYC property taxes since they also have city income tax, which we don't have.

[Jrprofess]

Originally Posted by diamondplayer

Glad that you have taken the time to read my post. Let me clue you in on a few things. I hardly resent leaving LI, it has been in my plans for a while. and we were certainly able to buy up and stay in LI. But to do that we would have needed to take on a 200-250K mortgage AND double our property taxes. For what? The beautiful beaches, no thanks. We and many other LI'ers and people from the entire NE are doing what we did. We have moved into a new larger homes that are NOT on a 1/4 acre and NOT paying 10-15K taxes. you would be glad to know that the backwater burbs you speak of is the LI of the 1950's, very rural, winding country roads and horse farms. not the strip mall haven you encounter daily. Yes i do complain on the NC board about those who refuse to see the problems and stick their heads in the sand. up until recently a handful of long time Charlotte posters who defend the area at all cost refused to acknowledge a crime problem in Charlotte, which is not where i live. finally a few weeks ago the stealth chief acknowledged 36 'hot spots' for crime. now they are silent. BTW your reply was quintessential LI, full of snobbery and elitism. love the way you stupidly imply that because someone has left LI is because the could not afford it, snob. I believe that you are the one wearing the tail. dont forget to vote yes on your school vote this month and keep pinching yourself.

Don't snobs brag about having larger homes than others???

This back and forth BS reminds me of two themes I always find frustrating about this board...one, an area like Brentwood has about as much to do with Smithtown or Wading River or Rockville Centre as Bridgeport, CT. My point: people tend to enjoy generalizing that their experience in their declining area (and that had to be frustrating for you, seriously) somehow has everything to do with all of "Long Island". Which includes millions of people and 120 miles of different/varied towns and schools, etc. If somebody hated Lynbrook they somehow think it represents all of the island, and would lump an area like Sayville or Northport in with all of their areas perceived flaws. These might be towns 25 miles away.

I grew up in Connecticut. Bridgeport, which was maybe 25-30 miles from me had as much to with my town as Bermuda, so one would never grow up hating the crappy parts of Bridgeport and subsequently claim "Connecticut sucks". I find the generalization odd.

And second, I have lived in many places, some stunk, some were great, but I always find it lame when folks come back to obliterate a region, rant on about the expenses and the decline of a region, and then claim Long Islanders are the snobs. Sure...because people who like to return to brag are obviously of a higher caliber.

Don't be fooled by Money Magazine...search the NC boards and read about the homes being sold to folks who's neighbors paid 20 grand more for the same house. The slowdown is hitting the entire nation. I am relocating an exec right now who can't move their home. But seriously, I am not sure why this is some sort of "race" to see who holds up better. Do you as a North Carolina resident somehow claim responsibility for ensuring your real estate has not declined? If a year from now your home values start to drag and NY's rises do we get to hop on the NC board and claim that we are then "winning"....ridiculous.

And as a sidenote, folks like OhB and Slynn (in NC) are the good reasons to post on this board. Reasonable, polite, intelligent posters.

[iluvmycuties]

Originally Posted by I'minformed2

PLEASE come visit out neck of the woods (Rochester...and really all of NYS north and west of Albany) before you accuse us of reaping ANY benifits in tax revenue distribution. We pay 7k taxes on $160k houses up here....and don't have the six figure salaries and other benifits of being within the alpha city of the world's hinterland. I love upstate NY and after living in NC for almost 13 years and VERY happy to be home in nys again....but there's no doubt WE are getting screwed..just as much if not more than downstate/LI.

to get somewhat more back on topic...shouldn't this thread be closed? It was started by someone who simply wanted to get arise out of people and bash the region.

Oh, trust me, I never said you were reaping any benefits.

But your point is exactly why Albany is redistributing Long Island taxes in the Northern parts of the state...$100,000 salary is not the norm up there (nor is it in my house BTW).

All I'm asking is, can't we all just get along and be screwed equally by the state?

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by AlexisT

BTW it isn't entirely fair to compare NYC property taxes since they also have city income tax, which we don't have.

What about City of NY employees who are non residents -- they pay NYC PIT, despite living on LI, or anywhere else but NYC. NYPD, NYFD living outside of the City have to pay; and yet these folks are grossly underpaid for the services they provide.

Personal Income Tax

Don't forget that there are credits available on the NYCPIT for people who own businesses in NYC, EIC for people who earn below a certain amount.

Also, I am not sure about whether the NYCPIT is deducted from the one's income as part of the adjusted income on a personal Federal Tax return. If so, it might help decrease their Federal liability and increase their return. (not by a huge amount, but money back is good; having to pay out less is good, too.)

Sorry - I have veered totally off topic

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by iluvmycuties

Oh, trust me, I never said you were reaping any benefits.

But your point is exactly why Albany is redistributing Long Island taxes in the Northern parts of the state...$100,000 salary is not the norm up there (nor is it in my house BTW).

All I'm asking is, can't we all just get along and be screwed equally by the state?

Just tell the Governor I prefer a nice steak dinner before I get screwed!

[AlexisT]

OBee - like the original topic is any good? It would be an interesting comparison to work out who comes out better and worse with the different taxes. And it does suck that a NYPD cop who's underpaid to begin with has to pay city tax despite the fact that he doesn't live in NYC because he can't afford it. But people in that situation are a minority, and it still doesn't work to do a straight up comparison of property taxes, which is what you did. You need to look at total tax burden. Some people in NYC are making out better and some are making out worse. Since NYC has a higher percentage of poor people than LI or Westchester, we're always going to subsidize them.