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RE:You want to know why teachers are under attack here and elsewhere? Because their salaries haven't dropped like those of everyone else AND because they are predominantly women.
I guess if all else fails...turn to the race or gender card. Silly & childish for even bringing it up and you know it! I'll tell you the real reason that the focus is on teachers and administrators..... its because their bloated salaries and benefits are being paid for real estate tax dollars and about 75% of real estate taxes go to the schools.
That's the only reason I care.
Because I know that runaway property taxes are not good for our communities.
But nobody who is a proponent of the status quo wants to admit that.
What's going to happen when the property taxes become SO HIGH that no middle class person in their right mind (or making typical pay for the area) will buy the home at "competitive rates?" If things keep as they are, you know that day is coming. Then you won't even be able to give away your home. We need balance and the sooner the better.
We need two things. We need the rich to pay their fair share. We need fair wages.
Because I know that runaway property taxes are not good for our communities.
But nobody who is a proponent of the status quo wants to admit that.
who are proponents of education. Just because they support the system, doesn't mean they are happy about their property taxes going up all the time.
I'd say most people understand the inevitable road that our school's salaries and benefits are taking us down. However, they'd like to find a new way perhaps to deal with the financials of our districts in how they collect the money needed to pay for the education provided. We really need Albany to step up to the plate, an idea they have refused to address for many years now. Instead of thinking about their personal elections, they need to think about why we elected them to an office. Just like our school boards on a smaller scale - they have to wake up to the fact that they represent the taxpayers too, not just the students and staff. People must remind them of this fact constantly.
Status quo isn't what anyone wants. People are just confused and unsure about which route to take to change, and thus Albany does nothing to fix it.
I believe people need to get off the bandwagon that always attacks the teachers and administrators alone. I believe that Albany needs to be held accountable here. We know that not all teachers and admins receive bloated salaries and benefits, some do, but certainly not all. I once even thought that the state, along with the state union, should negotiate and set salaries and benefits for teachers and administrators so they all made the same - or perhaps we'd need a regional cost differential for expensive parts of the state like LI and Westchester. Point being, it would take the excesses out of the hands of the local boards and let them concentrate on policy and budget for everything else. No wealthy district could grab good teachers from poor districts by offering them a lot more money.
Always attacking just teachers and administrators simply causes the obvious reaction, attacking back. Doesn't get anyone anywhere, as evidenced in this now way too long thread! 95% of teachers and admins didn't cause this runaway freight train of salaries and benefits, their unions did along with your school boards and Albany. Most teachers aren't very involved with their unions, they pay their dues and receive the bonus of a good paying contract from whoever negotiated for them.
We need two things. We need the rich to pay their fair share. We need fair wages.
Considering the way the school districts on Long Island are set up, how can it be configured so that the rich pay what you consider their fair share so that property taxes become more reasonable for everyone else (as in besides the rich) on Long Island?
As for fair wages, how can typical wages in the private sector continue to grow along with the increased property tax burden? (So far, it has not kept up in the least.)
Considering the way the school districts on Long Island are set up, how can it be configured so that the rich pay what you consider their fair share so that property taxes become more reasonable for everyone else (as in besides the rich) on Long Island?
As for fair wages, how can typical wages in the private sector continue to grow along with the increased property tax burden? (So far, it has not kept up in the least.)
We willed all of the business away with NAFTA. You can will it back. Require a percentage of domestic manufacturing. Don't give tax breaks for outsourcing. Tariff imports. Raise minimum wage. Enforce laws making it illegal to hire illegal labor.
As for property taxes, graduate tax based upon home value. Once your home is worth $1 mill, increase the rate. Enforce it statewide so the selfish don't run to the next town over.
We willed all of the business away with NAFTA. You can will it back. Require a percentage of domestic manufacturing. Don't give tax breaks for outsourcing. Tariff imports. Raise minimum wage. Enforce laws making it illegal to hire illegal labor.
As for property taxes, graduate tax based upon home value. Once your home is worth $1 mill, increase the rate. Enforce it statewide so the selfish don't run to the next town over.
It's not even just NAFTA. The offshore outsourcing is rampant to countries outside North America too, plus we have all kinds of other "treaties" (aka American Job Giveaways, such as Central America = CAFTA, etc., etc., etc.).
One thing that totally ticks me off is the new "green business incentive" paid by for the taxpayers (and given great lip service about "how it will create jobs for Americans") actually does not preclude the companies who are beneficiaries of this windfall from (a) importing Visa labor and (b) offshoring any and all processes. For example, did you know that a company that is getting the benefit of the taxpayers' money to build wind turbines is not using any American labor, but is manufacturing them in China?
Back to the main subject ... so with the "luxury" property tax, you are saying the additional tax money collected would not necessarily stay in the district where the house is located, but would be split up among other districts? Because if not, there would just be a surplus of money in the wealthy areas and nothing for the less wealthy areas. Since all the school districts on Long Island are independent of each other, how would this work?
RE:
I believe people need to get off the bandwagon that always attacks the teachers and administrators alone. I believe that Albany needs to be held accountable here[LEFT]
Where do you think Albany gets the money to hand to the school districts? Lets be honest, the problem is teachers & administrators salaries and benefits. Many Superintendents make more than the Governor. Many teachers simply make too much. The benefits are too generous. It really is that simple.
who are proponents of education. Just because they support the system, doesn't mean they are happy about their property taxes going up all the time.
I'd say most people understand the inevitable road that our school's salaries and benefits are taking us down. However, they'd like to find a new way perhaps to deal with the financials of our districts in how they collect the money needed to pay for the education provided. We really need Albany to step up to the plate, an idea they have refused to address for many years now. Instead of thinking about their personal elections, they need to think about why we elected them to an office. Just like our school boards on a smaller scale - they have to wake up to the fact that they represent the taxpayers too, not just the students and staff. People must remind them of this fact constantly.
Status quo isn't what anyone wants. People are just confused and unsure about which route to take to change, and thus Albany does nothing to fix it.
I believe people need to get off the bandwagon that always attacks the teachers and administrators alone. I believe that Albany needs to be held accountable here. We know that not all teachers and admins receive bloated salaries and benefits, some do, but certainly not all. I once even thought that the state, along with the state union, should negotiate and set salaries and benefits for teachers and administrators so they all made the same - or perhaps we'd need a regional cost differential for expensive parts of the state like LI and Westchester. Point being, it would take the excesses out of the hands of the local boards and let them concentrate on policy and budget for everything else. No wealthy district could grab good teachers from poor districts by offering them a lot more money.
Always attacking just teachers and administrators simply causes the obvious reaction, attacking back. Doesn't get anyone anywhere, as evidenced in this now way too long thread! 95% of teachers and admins didn't cause this runaway freight train of salaries and benefits, their unions did along with your school boards and Albany. Most teachers aren't very involved with their unions, they pay their dues and receive the bonus of a good paying contract from whoever negotiated for them.
I would not look to Albany to fix this problem as the solution is local. If you want real change it starts with your local school board, they approve the salaries and benefits for the teachers. If you don’t have a school board candidate then at least attend some of the budget meetings and voice your opinion.
The UFTA has tremendous clout with the Albany and donate money to Silver, Skelos and the other delegates, that is why they had the final word in getting NY state income tax and federal grants and had the final say on capping charter schools.
If you want real change get involved and get some of your neighbors involved, find out when the next contract comes up and find out the guidance your local school board provided to the negotiator. Don’t expect any miracles from Albany, you are the solution.
I would not look to Albany to fix this problem as the solution is local. If you want real change it starts with your local school board, they approve the salaries and benefits for the teachers. If you don’t have a school board candidate then at least attend some of the budget meetings and voice your opinion.
The UFTA has tremendous clout with the Albany and donate money to Silver, Skelos and the other delegates, that is why they had the final word in getting NY state income tax and federal grants and had the final say on capping charter schools.
If you want real change get involved and get some of your neighbors involved, find out when the next contract comes up and find out the guidance your local school board provided to the negotiator. Don’t expect any miracles from Albany, you are the solution.
Its both local and state. The state doles out aid and has been cutting the aid to local school districts forcing school taxes to rise. Where does all the lottery money go? Wasn't that for education? Why does only .78 cents of every dollar actually get back to our district? Why does my money go to help out poorer districts? What about too much unfunded mandates. The whole thing is a mess from the bottom up.
RE:
I believe people need to get off the bandwagon that always attacks the teachers and administrators alone. I believe that Albany needs to be held accountable here[LEFT]
Where do you think Albany gets the money to hand to the school districts? Lets be honest, the problem is teachers & administrators salaries and benefits. Many Superintendents make more than the Governor. Many teachers simply make too much. The benefits are too generous. It really is that simple.
[/LEFT]
If you don't believe CRV about the salaries, he did us the "favor" of opening an entire new thread on teachers that posts all of the superintendents salaries.
This is all in his campaign to use this forum as his soapbox, and to crowd out other discussions until various folks just leave the forum.
He's probably posting gifs that morph Obama into Satan on Craigslist.
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