Affordability and Why are the taxes so high? (White Plains, Somers: rent, how much)

[7 Wishes]

There was a time (early 90s) where Yorktown Heights was unusually cheap for a "nice" suburb because it had taxes that made most of Westchester taxes look cheap. But I think that's changed.

[havoc315]

While schools are a major chunk of property taxes, remember it's not the whole tax. School taxes only account for about half of your property tax bill.

Also remember, many Westchester towns do not have significant commercial centers paying taxes.

Taxes are relatively low in Somers, for example, because they have big IBM and Pepsi offices.

[dma1250]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

There was a time (early 90s) where Yorktown Heights was unusually cheap for a "nice" suburb because it had taxes that made most of Westchester taxes look cheap. But I think that's changed.

Yes, that was true. But our taxes in Yorktown Heights have gone up at a generally slower rate than many other towns' have over the last decade or so. They're certainly not low, but they seem about the same as most nearby towns, and much lower than some others. Also, Yorktown benefits from having a fair number of large stores and offices, which--as Havoc points out--pay a lot of taxes. The IBM research center alone pays more tax than a huge number of residents would.

[PEmom]

Westchester is notorious for its high tax. The corrupt county and town govts are to blame. Just look at Fairfield county. They have many very good schools and their tax is only 1/3 to 1/2 of what we pay here. The 200k/300k salary for superintendent is ridiculous. The school budget pass is a manipulated process by the school admin office. Also high tax negatively impact the appreciation of house value. That's why many Westchester houses cannot get as high value as those in fairfield.

[Viralmd]

There are also fewer people in Fairfield county who need to attend those schools.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by PEmom

The school budget pass is a manipulated process by the school admin office.

Do you mean in general for Westchester or this year in Mt. Vernon (since it had barely "failed" and then absentee ballots suddenly put it over the top)?

If the latter, yes, I have my suspicions too, but I also think (though it could've had a lower tax increase), if they had to go to an austerity budget again the state would've had to take over the school district.

[PEmom]

I don't think fairfield tax is lower because more people send their kids to private schools (other than Greenwich). They have less administrative layers like heavy westchester county tax, town tax and money to pay school superintendent for $200k. You can argue they don't have garbage, sewer, city water services etc. Yes, but those services should not cost 10K more in tax. Lots of people living in Westchester don't even know how bad the tax situation is and just pay for it to think they are getting a good public school.

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by PEmom

I don't think fairfield tax is lower because more people send their kids to private schools (other than Greenwich). They have less administrative layers like heavy westchester county tax, town tax and money to pay school superintendent for $200k. You can argue they don't have garbage, sewer, city water services etc. Yes, but those services should not cost 10K more in tax. Lots of people living in Westchester don't even know how bad the tax situation is and just pay for it to think they are getting a good public school.

I'm not sure if this is the reason, but technically county gov't doesn't exist in CT, it was abolished back around 1960. The county boundaries are only for geographic purposes and I think only the judicial system is on a county level anymore, though in rural areas there are regional school districts as opposed to town ones. In fact, except right at the NY border to say you're in Fairfield County you don't even see signs saying (for example) "entering Litchfield County".

[havoc315]

It's hard to make a direct comparison between Fairfield County and Westchester. Yes, taxes are absolutely lower in Fairfield County. And Fairfield County has a number of good school districts, as well as a number of mediocre school districts. To my knowledge, most Fairfield school districts are also larger, which keeps costs down.

There are good and valid points about the layers of government.

But I have yet to see a good explanation of the vast different in taxes. Though one reason, to my understanding, is the great expense of paying Medicaid expenses in New York, which are administered at the county level.

[PEmom]

yes, if have special need kids, definitely live in westchester....it's an absolute socialism here.