why is Suffolk co. so crappy? (New York, York: home, school districts, salary)

[newtoli]

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.

This is very true, I had a business dinner recently with someone from way upstate and was floored when he said his taxes were $12k!

[alliswell]

No it shouldn't be closed.

The tax situation is not going to go away. Taxes were always a thorn, but when everyone was well employed and home values were going up, did anyone really care to count pennies? I suspect they didn't.

Now, things have dramatically changed and people are paying attention, asking questions, and looking for accountability about what has happened to all those tax dollars and where the heck future dollars are slated to go. Long over due.

It's a great discussion and wish these tough topics and difficult questions would be pressed outside of this board to local admin and governments.

[iluvmycuties]

Well, we were always counting pennies because my hubby was with the NYPD. I've always questioned our taxes...a 2 bedroom, 1 bath cape in Wantagh, 60 X 100, with taxes just over $9K. Plus my hubby was paying a tax waiver, which is essentially a tax on not paying NYC taxes. The only money we did have was when our home value went up with the market. That didn't really help us much, because it wasn't liquid. We did benefit from the sale of our home, but by then we had a LOT on credit cards because we were trying to make it on a cop's salary (I left teaching to stay home and raise 3 children). Now we are on a 1/2 acre in Port Jefferson and our taxes are way less than our Wantagh taxes for 4 bed, 2 bath. I really don't understand.

[alliswell]

Be sure to extend my thanks to your husband for his civil service.

[NYNewbie]

Originally Posted by alliswell

No it shouldn't be closed.

The tax situation is not going to go away. Taxes were always a thorn, but when everyone was well employed and home values were going up, did anyone really care to count pennies? I suspect they didn't.

Now, things have dramatically changed and people are paying attention, asking questions, and looking for accountability about what has happened to all those tax dollars and where the heck future dollars are slated to go. Long over due.

It's a great discussion and wish these tough topics and difficult questions would be pressed outside of this board to local admin and governments.

I'm ambivalent about taxes here. I am a penny pincher - very much so. My quality of life, in terms of home quality and related matters, is poor. But I moved here because of many of the very positive things.

Still, I'm hanging on by my finger nails. And my feelings aren't anti-tax feelings. I lived in and despised Florida because of the lack of taxes, and subsequent lack of services and social capital.

But here in NY, when the market takes a complete crap, the local teachers union request a 9% increase in revenue. WTF? I am in a union, and my pay increases a fixed 4.75% annually, is much better than a lot of people experience. Tax increases should never outpace the growth of inflation. That's actually more generous than you think because the the GDP grows annually, plus you are taking more of the earnings, which means a greater net.

I very much support the teachers unions, but they are pushing me away.

[alliswell]

Good points, NYN.

I should clarify that I meant counting tax pennies, not personal pennies. Seems like "it's just the price you have to pay" to live here is too loosely tossed out and blindly accepted. It takes what it takes to live here fine, but show me some effort towards efficiency and maximizing those dollars fairly for all who pay. As budgets, personal and otherwise, constrict I think more people will be more vocal in questioning spending and that's a good thing in my opinion.

[ClarkStreetKid]

You mean stuff like this?
LI superintendent gets state's biggest pension -- Newsday.com (broken link)

I doubt you'll ever see any genuine movement towards efficiency, it's just not in the interest of the ruling class. And if ruling class threatens cut backs they will have those who live on the Island because of it's "excellent" services screaming. Sorry, I think Islanders are screwed.

BTW, I always liked Suffolk better than Nassau and never thought Suffolk was crappy.

[NYNewbie]

Originally Posted by ClarkStreetKid

You mean stuff like this?
LI superintendent gets state's biggest pension -- Newsday.com (broken link)

I doubt you'll ever see any genuine movement towards efficiency, it's just not in the interest of the ruling class. And if ruling class threatens cut backs they will have those who live on the Island because of it's "excellent" services screaming. Sorry, I think Islanders are screwed.

BTW, I always liked Suffolk better than Nassau and never thought Suffolk was crappy.

The ruling class is not the class that runs the school board. The people running school boards are people that give up potential jobs on Wall Street or as lawyers in order to run a school board. The point is, the decide to work for far less than the private sector provides. They may get paid far more than you, but they are, in essence, CEOs.

The ruling classes are the ones who don't want Bush to tax their estates or reject progressive tax systems. As such, individual states are required to fund almost exclusively, their schools and other necessary systems.

The ruling classes are the ones who don't care if these systems are adequately funded.

The unions make the mistake of perpetuating the perception that they don't care how much I get taxed. What they contribute to is a Long Island that is a tax-gated community. I am a professor with a better than national average salary. I came here with lots of equity to put in a home, and my wife (who holds an MA) and I have decided to stop at one child because we can't afford any more.

[Kbinspections]

Originally Posted by ClarkStreetKid

You mean stuff like this?
LI superintendent gets state's biggest pension -- Newsday.com (broken link)

I doubt you'll ever see any genuine movement towards efficiency, it's just not in the interest of the ruling class. And if ruling class threatens cut backs they will have those who live on the Island because of it's "excellent" services screaming. Sorry, I think Islanders are screwed.

BTW, I always liked Suffolk better than Nassau and never thought Suffolk was crappy.

IMO, its not that crazy. He did work for the sytem for 37 years. Who works for the same company for 37 years? If anyone worked for any company for 37 years as an administator, they would get a nice chunk of change. How many employees was he responsible for? How many kids educations? What type of budgets was he responsible for?

I would not want that job...........

[ClarkStreetKid]

Well, then enjoy paying the taxes guys.

The ruling class is not the class that runs the school board. The people running school boards are people that give up potential jobs on Wall Street or as lawyers in order to run a school board.

C'mon, if I followed that logic then I potentially could have been the King of France. You don't give up a potential job, only a solid offer or real job. Most of the school boards that I've encountered are made up of lawyers and educators. Maybe yours are different.

People choose to go into public services for many reasons, not all because they are the best, brightest and altruistic.

23 LI school districts have private lawyers on rolls -- Newsday.com
N. Babylon superintendent under suspension. | Newsday (Melville, NY) (June, 2006)