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Saying 30-40% you are simply making up numbers. Suozzi did push through a large increase his first year in office. That was to get the budget back in line after the Gullota disaster. Over the last seven years county taxes have increased by 3.9%. You can't simply not raise taxes ever. The Gullota administration and the deficits of the late 90's to early 2000's, the junk bond status, etc is proof of that. The 19% increase in 2003 was in order to get the budget back in line. If you go through long periods of never increasing taxes the end result is going to be the exact same problems that led us to the large increase that was needed in 2003. The best bet is to have those small 3-4% or so increases every few years.
Of course we also need to cut spending, but cutting spending alone is not going to solve the problems. A municipality the size of Nassau is not going to be able to survive financially by never raising taxes. Tom Gullota is proof of that.
I stepped outside the box for a minute to look at this from an objective point of view. I think the problem we have is we both see 2 different problems.
Pequaman - It's a spending problem -- the more you tax people to balance budgets, the more the unions and municipalities will take (spend). Thus, it's a lose-lose situation here unless we focus only on spending cuts. Increasing taxes chases away good people and businesses and increases the burden on those that are left. Taxing only enables unions to keep spending other people's money beyond their means. [This has been proven to be happening on LI for the last 20-30 years]
Smash - It's mostly a revenue problem but also we are spending too much. We need to raise property taxes every other year or so by 4% because of the size of the municipality.
What is the justification for Nassau county having the 2nd highest taxes in the country, close to the highest sales tax rate and being probably a top 5 high COL area?? when we're really just above average median income (~92k median household income). Aside from the Gold Coast, most of Nassau is not uber-wealthy so there is no justification for it. We shouldn't even be looking at wealth, it should be based on earnings only.
Taxes (property taxes) did go up about 25-35% for most of us (I have photocopies of my parent's bills from 2002 right in front of me). The 30-40% meaning aggregate COL increases via county taxes and other fees, like these here that the Suozz left us with along with all the other fees like RLC program, and other hidden fees.
Again, our taxes (IN TOTAL) to the county have gone up 30-40% since 2002. You still believe that MORE property taxes are necessary after grasping all of this?
I stepped outside the box for a minute to look at this from an objective point of view. I think the problem we have is we both see 2 different problems.
Pequaman - It's a spending problem -- the more you tax people to balance budgets, the more the unions and municipalities will take (spend). Thus, it's a lose-lose situation here unless we focus only on spending cuts. Increasing taxes chases away good people and businesses and increases the burden on those that are left. Taxing only enables unions to keep spending other people's money beyond their means. [This has been proven to be happening on LI for the last 20-30 years]
Smash - It's mostly a revenue problem but also we are spending too much. We need to raise property taxes every other year or so by 4% because of the size of the municipality.
What is the justification for Nassau county having the 2nd highest taxes in the country, close to the highest sales tax and probably top 5 high COL areas when we're really just above average median income. Aside from the Gold Coast, most of Nassau is not uber-wealthy so there is no justification for it.
Taxes (property taxes) did go up about 25-35% for most of us (I have photocopies of my parent's bills from 2002 right in front of me). The 30-40% meaning aggregate COL increases via county taxes and other fees, like these here that the Suozz left us with along with all the other fees like RLC program, and other hidden fees.
Again, our taxes (IN TOTAL) to the county have gone up 30-40% since 2002. You still believe that MORE property taxes are necessary after grasping all of this?
It's the school taxes. They have seen the greatest dollar figure increase over the last few years and they are what's largely responsible for Nassau having one of the highest tax burdens in the country. (By the way, the tax rates for upstate school districts are actually higher than they are in Nassau, but because the homes are less expensive, the tax dollars are lower.)
When you have 56 school districts in Nassau alone, you're going to pay a boatload of money for duplicative services, like administrative personnel.
You also make the point that we are in one of the highest cost of living areas in the country. High COL is not just about taxes. It's lots of factors, the greatest of which is location (adjacent to NYC on an island.) To complain that our high COL isn't justified because salaries are just above the national median is backwards. COL should drive the salaries, not the other way around.
I stepped outside the box for a minute to look at this from an objective point of view. I think the problem we have is we both see 2 different problems.
Pequaman - It's a spending problem -- the more you tax people to balance budgets, the more the unions and municipalities will take (spend). Thus, it's a lose-lose situation here unless we focus only on spending cuts. Increasing taxes chases away good people and businesses and increases the burden on those that are left. Taxing only enables unions to keep spending other people's money beyond their means. [This has been proven to be happening on LI for the last 20-30 years]
Smash - It's mostly a revenue problem but also we are spending too much. We need to raise property taxes every other year or so by 4% because of the size of the municipality.
What is the justification for Nassau county having the 2nd highest taxes in the country, close to the highest sales tax rate and being probably a top 5 high COL area?? when we're really just above average median income (~92k median household income). Aside from the Gold Coast, most of Nassau is not uber-wealthy so there is no justification for it. We shouldn't even be looking at wealth, it should be based on earnings only.
Taxes (property taxes) did go up about 25-35% for most of us (I have photocopies of my parent's bills from 2002 right in front of me). The 30-40% meaning aggregate COL increases via county taxes and other fees, like these here that the Suozz left us with along with all the other fees like RLC program, and other hidden fees.
Again, our taxes (IN TOTAL) to the county have gone up 30-40% since 2002. You still believe that MORE property taxes are necessary after grasping all of this?
We do have one of the highest property tax burdens in the country, that is true, but the property taxes for the county itself aren't all that high.
Also we aren't exactly just above average for median income. The median household income in the U.S is about $51,000 compared to $92,000 for Nassau. Nassau ranked 10th among U.S counties in median income (technically 9th since both Fairfax the City and Fairfax County are counted), 7th in household income among areas with a population over 250,000.
Turn down the drama. Read the post carefully. We're talking about Nassau County property taxes not increasing under Gulotta. (Which is what caused him so many financial headaches.) School taxes, as we all know, have nothing to do with county taxes.
And again, read what I wrote carefully. Cutting expenses is critical, but it won't be enough. While the popular war cry is to cut everything, there is a point at which no more cutting can be done ... and budget shortfalls will still exist. At that point, there is a need to raise revenues ... including taxes, if necessary. Government still has to function, still has to deliver the services that are mandated and expected by its citizens.
There is still cutting that needs to be done and may not make a difference now but most certainly done the road. The mismangement, corruption, escalation of salaries and the subsequent pensions are how we got to this point. I don' t disagree with raising taxes as opposed to borrrowing but that is most certainly not a long term solution.
The real estate tax is just one part and actually the sales tax accounts for the lion's share of the budget. We are already paying 4.25% county sales tax, gasoline tax, mortage tax, you name it and the improvement in services is juts not there. We live in one of the wealthiest counties in the US and have a 40 year old sports arena, government buildings that have not been approved in decades, virtually no improvements in infrastruture.
Something is most definitely wrong with our county and leaves many questions as to where the money is going. I don't disagree with raising taxes this year as opposed to borrowing but the level of taxes are already excessive for the services.
Mangano and his R buddies in the legislature just today doubled the amount you will pay if you need an ambulance. Mangano tried to justify this by saying he was bringing the charge up to what other counties like Rockland County charge for ambulance service.
So no energy tax, no property tax hike. But make sure you don't need an ambulance, otherwise you will be paying over a grand (and possibly double that if you need advanced live saving)
Mangano and his R buddies in the legislature just today doubled the amount you will pay if you need an ambulance. Mangano tried to justify this by saying he was bringing the charge up to what other counties like Rockland County charge for ambulance service.
So no energy tax, no property tax hike. But make sure you don't need an ambulance, otherwise you will be paying over a grand (and possibly double that if you need advanced live saving)
I doubt it's going to cost a grand, but that is good thinking by Mangano. It will reduce NCPD Overtime hours. We can't afford the OT anymore, so someone's gotta pay for it. This will remove a lot of the BS calls that people make and reduce usage of ambulance for non-life-threatening situations (like splinters and other minor things). I say they put a surcharge on BS resource wasting NCPD calls as well - like neighbors music is too loud, or someone yelled at me and hurt my feelings, my neighbor walked on my lawn!, and even possibly fender benders, very minor accidents that waste tons of NCPD time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Smash255
We do have one of the highest property tax burdens in the country, that is true, but the property taxes for the county itself aren't all that high.
Also we aren't exactly just above average for median income. The median household income in the U.S is about $51,000 compared to $92,000 for Nassau. Nassau ranked 10th among U.S counties in median income (technically 9th since both Fairfax the City and Fairfax County are counted), 7th in household income among areas with a population over 250,000.
Cops receive free health care and up to five "blood days"—comp days for every time they donate blood. The total package, including fringe benefits and overtime, averages $202,400 per officer. That is way higher than the median for Nassau County. I didn't know being a cop meant you get to live on the north shore among Nassau's wealthiest residents.
High Police Pay Fuels Nassau Squeeze - WSJ.com Police unions say that given the high cost of living and the wealth of the community, their salaries are justified and in line with other Long Island police departments. Nassau County's median household income of $94,856 is nearly twice the U.S. median; property taxes are among the highest in the nation.
The ability to pay argument is the most evil argument I have seen. That reeks of monopolistic abuse of power by these unions. Vampire squid comes to mind actually.. This is the equivalent of Exxon mobil saying, we're raising gas prices to $8 a gallon, because the US has the ability to pay.
The cost of living is high in NYC. It's not as high here. You could find a solid house in a decent area for $300k right now, about 2x median salary for an officer (most can afford a 450k-900k house as well on those incomes [1 earner btw]).
Now the taxes are very high I agree. I'd like to ask the PBA and the other unions, why are the taxes high to begin with ?? That you are claiming you need these ridiculous salaries to help cover. Take a damn pay cut, cut OT, share the pain and watch the taxes go down across the board here. Then the COL won't be so high .
I doubt it's going to cost a grand, but that is good thinking by Mangano. It will reduce NCPD Overtime hours. We can't afford the OT anymore, so someone's gotta pay for it. This will remove a lot of the BS calls that people make and reduce usage of ambulance for non-life-threatening situations (like splinters and other minor things). I say they put a surcharge on BS resource wasting NCPD calls as well - like neighbors music is too loud, or someone yelled at me and hurt my feelings, my neighbor walked on my lawn!, and even possibly fender benders, very minor accidents that waste tons of NCPD time.
Cops receive free health care and up to five "blood days"—comp days for every time they donate blood. The total package, including fringe benefits and overtime, averages $202,400 per officer. That is way higher than the median for Nassau County. I didn't know being a cop meant you get to live on the north shore among Nassau's wealthiest residents.
High Police Pay Fuels Nassau Squeeze - WSJ.com Police unions say that given the high cost of living and the wealth of the community, their salaries are justified and in line with other Long Island police departments. Nassau County's median household income of $94,856 is nearly twice the U.S. median; property taxes are among the highest in the nation.
The ability to pay argument is the most evil argument I have seen. That reeks of monopolistic abuse of power by these unions. Vampire squid comes to mind actually.. This is the equivalent of Exxon mobil saying, we're raising gas prices to $8 a gallon, because the US has the ability to pay.
The cost of living is high in NYC. It's not as high here. You could find a solid house in a decent area for $300k right now, about 2x median salary for an officer (most can afford a 450k-900k house as well on those incomes [1 earner btw]).
Now the taxes are very high I agree. I'd like to ask the PBA and the other unions, why are the taxes high to begin with ?? That you are claiming you need these ridiculous salaries to help cover. Take a damn pay cut, cut OT, share the pain and watch the taxes go down across the board here. Then the COL won't be so high .
The union president is really out of touch with his comments that they are entitled because of the wealth in the county. Getting a 5 days off for donating blood is absurd. I don't know any business that could survive paying out that kind of overtime and Mangano just made it worse with increased buy outs.
Something has to be done to change the work rules in the next contract including the no lay-off clause but unfortunately this contract doesn't run out until December 2015.
I urge everyone here to write letters to your state senators, assemblyman and reiterate what most of you are concerned about here...
We need to do away with defined benefits.. The private sector did it because they wouldnt survive if they kept it.. look at GM... The county has a captive audience, we can not say no to tax increases...we are forced
Taxpayer dollars and the salaries are out of control..... With all the attention this story is now getting, I think we have a chance to change the system.. we just need to keep up the pressure... Talk about it.. tell your friends, neighbors.. we need to do this now, because the longer we wait the worse it will get.
I urge everyone here to write letters to your state senators, assemblyman and reiterate what most of you are concerned about here...
We need to do away with defined benefits.. The private sector did it because they wouldnt survive if they kept it.. look at GM... The county has a captive audience, we can not say no to tax increases...we are forced
Taxpayer dollars and the salaries are out of control..... With all the attention this story is now getting, I think we have a chance to change the system.. we just need to keep up the pressure... Talk about it.. tell your friends, neighbors.. we need to do this now, because the longer we wait the worse it will get.
Here are some of my favorite resources for finding out who your elected officials are.
On the Federal and State level, go to Congress.org - Get informed, get involved, and look underneath the heading "Get Involved" on the upper left-hand side and type in your zip code where it says "Find your lawmakers, tell them what you think." This website even has a function where you can pay an inexpensive fee to have your message hand-delivered to Federal officials. This website also keeps track of how they are voting on key issues.
To find information on the local level (County and below), go to:
There is still cutting that needs to be done and may not make a difference now but most certainly done the road. The mismangement, corruption, escalation of salaries and the subsequent pensions are how we got to this point. I don' t disagree with raising taxes as opposed to borrrowing but that is most certainly not a long term solution.
The real estate tax is just one part and actually the sales tax accounts for the lion's share of the budget. We are already paying 4.25% county sales tax, gasoline tax, mortage tax, you name it and the improvement in services is juts not there. We live in one of the wealthiest counties in the US and have a 40 year old sports arena, government buildings that have not been approved in decades, virtually no improvements in infrastruture.
Something is most definitely wrong with our county and leaves many questions as to where the money is going. I don't disagree with raising taxes this year as opposed to borrowing but the level of taxes are already excessive for the services.
Borrowing is going to be out of the question for Nassau County pretty soon. They are now issuing debt at the same levels of Chicago and California. Meaning that the interest on their bonds is going to be burdensome, because they average municipal bond purchaser wants a premium to hold their bonds. The ratings agencies have reconfirmed their ratings for Nassau County, but the market is still putting a premium on Nassau County bonds.
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?? That you are claiming you need these ridiculous salaries to help cover. Take a damn pay cut, cut OT, share the pain and watch the taxes go down across the board here. Then the COL won't be so high 
.
