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Sixteen upstate counties — including Monroe, Orleans, Erie and Cortland — pay the highest property taxes compared to home values in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In all, New York's local taxes are 79 percent higher than the national average, a 2008 state report found.
Property-tax levies grew 60 percent between 1995 and 2005, more than twice the inflation rate, the state Comptroller's Office said.
Dan St. James, 53, said property taxes are high, but resale values are low in his Charlotte neighborhood of Rochester because of a weak school system that drives away many would-be buyers. "What I'm getting for it in terms of services is not worth it to me," said St. James, who is a self-employed furniture and antiques dealer. "I'm looking at the possibility of moving out of New York state."
New York's property-tax burden — ranked annually at or near the top in the country — has long been a top complaint of residents, whether they are at the local diner, the school board meeting or within the halls of the state Capitol.
But the high property taxes have become even more pronounced in recent years as the economy sputtered, unemployment hit record highs and the housing boom went bust.
Those issues are now coupled with a state government on the brink of insolvency, which is forcing cuts in aid to schools and local governments. The state is grappling with a $9.2 billion deficit, and last month it delayed $2 billion in payments to schools because it ran out of cash.
Meanwhile, the factors that drive high property taxes — health care costs, high public-sector pensions and salaries — show few signs of slowing.
To cover local pension costs next year, for example, local governments will need to pay 61 percent more than they are paying now.
While taxes are high, it depends on the county, as the article states that 16 Upstate counties pay the highest taxes in comparison to home values in the US. It seems like a lot of it has to do with school budgets and school teachers/administrators pay.
While taxes are high, it depends on the county, as the article states that 16 Upstate counties pay the highest taxes in comparison to home values in the US. It seems like a lot of it has to do with school budgets and school teachers/administrators pay.
It sure does and it's quite dysfunctional. Teachers in many of the syracuse area districts are getting a 4% COLA in their paycheck this year in the aftermath of one of the worst recessions in the country with layoffs and furloughs happening left and right in the private sector (you know, the ones that actually pay these teachers' salaries and benefits).
People should be aware of the big factors driving (or should I say NOT driving ) home prices in CNY
It sure does and it's quite dysfunctional. Teachers in many of the syracuse area districts are getting a 4% COLA in their paycheck this year in the aftermath of one of the worst recessions in the country with layoffs and furloughs happening left and right in the private sector (you know, the ones that actually pay these teachers' salaries and benefits).
People should be aware of the big factors driving (or should I say NOT driving ) home prices in CNY
Again, I think it would have been worse if the prices boomed then dropped like crazy. So, you can look at this as a glass half full/half empty mentality. Meaning, this area didn't get hit hard by this recession in regard to home prices like many other places and the area has the lowest foreclosure rate out of the top 100 biggest metro areas in the country. So, again, this area didn't get hit like many, if not most and people are generally able to keep their homes here: http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/30/cit...res_chart.html
Also, this doesn't get into other costs that add up in other areas that people tend to forget about.
Like I said in another post, elections of various types will be key.
The road conditions can vary hour by hour and mile by mile.
Learning to drive in the snow helps a little but doesn't help with all the other idiots on the road
Every year about this time it starts snowing and roughly 99.99% of NYers have forgotten everything they know about driving in the snow. I can say now that the two most important things are slow down and allow increased stopping distance. But first snow fall those 99.99% will zip along doing 60 in a 30 and slam on there brakes 10 feet before the stop sign. So if your the unlucky one tooling along in your nice SUV with new snow tires and blankets and jumper cables and all the other stuff your supposed to do your still gonna get hit because some idiot couldn't leave 10 minutes earlier.
I will say that by the 10th storm it goes down to only 96.3% of NYers can't drive in the snow.
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) home prices in CNY
