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The Journal News - 02/13/11 -
Job searchers saddled not just with unemployment but underemployment
At the start of 2008, Richard Tjoa was earning more than $75,000 a year working as the chief technology officer for a nonprofit in Upper Nyack.
But with the sliding economy, he found himself first working reduced hours and then, a few months later, out of a job.
Tjoa, 39, of Suffern, has a degree in electrical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. He now works about 10 hours a week creating websites and making house calls for computer repairs.
While attention tends to focus on the government's official jobless rate, a broader measure including all so-called "underutilized" workers paints a more desperate picture of the labor market.
Accounting for all underutilized labor brought the nation's unemployment rate to an average of 16.7 percent for 2010, compared to the official average of 9.6 percent.
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The Journal News - 02/13/11 -
Police, fire pensions gap widens
The gap between police and fire pensions and those of other New York municipal workers is widening.
And the disparity is particulary noticeable in Yonkers, where the average pension for recently retired uniformed workers was nearly $100,000 a year — three times as much as other city workers. All 130 Yonkers retirees making six-figure pensions are former cops or firefighters.
"With every passing year pensions are consuming a larger chunk of local budgets, crowding out the ability of municipalities to expend taxpayers' money on taxpayers' priorities," said Peter Baynes, executive director of the New York Conference of Mayors. "There are just fewer dollars for essential local services."
The Employee Retirement System and the Police and Fire Retirement System cover pensioners from municipal governments and state agencies, excluding New York City, as well as non-teaching professionals in public school districts.
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The Journal News - 02/03/11 -
Orangetown police warn of break-in string targeting jewelry
Orangetown police warned residents Wednesday to take extra precautions after a series of burglaries in the Blauvelt, Orangeburg and Nauraushaun areas.
A half-dozen kick-in burglaries have occurred since November, police said. The break-ins have occurred between 4 and 7 p.m. on weekdays.
Front doors are being broken through and the burglars are ransacking mostly master bedrooms, stealing jewelry before leaving the house, said Detective Lt. James Brown of the Orangetown police.
Similar burglary rings have operated in Bergen County and targeted homes in Rockland, specifically Orangetown and Clarkstown.
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The Journal News - 01/30/11 -
Downturn for downtown hurts merchants, job base
Empty storefronts up and down Main Streets tell of tough times for small businesses — even in some of the wealthiest communities.
It's a problem not lost on the nation's elected officials, who have pumped billions of dollars' worth of tax cuts and other incentives into small businesses to drive economic growth.
Yet the health of small businesses is especially critical in the Lower Hudson Valley, where 92 percent of all companies have fewer than 20 employees on the books.
"The question is, are the municipalities seeing the forest through the trees? Are they creating an atmosphere that is inviting to people who are willing to take a risk and who are willing to start a business in this economy?"
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The Journal News - 01/30/11 -
2,100-plus state workers collect both salary, pensions
ALBANY — More than 2,100 state employees collected both salaries and pensions last year — with 35 of them receiving more than $200,000 in combined compensation, a review of state records shows.
About 30 employees are also listed on the payroll of two state employers and got taxpayer-funded pensions, according to records obtained by the Albany Bureau from the state Comptroller's Office through a Freedom of Information Act request.
The details show that as Gov. Andrew Cuomo is expected to call for massive state layoffs due to New York's fiscal troubles, some employees have been able to retire from their jobs, then go back to work and collect a lucrative salary from the state.
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Nyack-Piermont Patch - 01/26/11 -
Piermont Village Hall Renovation Will Likely Be Done By DPW; Contractors Too Expensive
The village clerk's office in Piermont village hall needs a makeover—cramped space and old furniture render the office inefficient and unsightly.
Overhauling the facility has been on the village's to-do list for a while, but when the project—which was thought to cost $50,000—was pitched to contractors, bids came in at six digits.
The village will continue the discussion at its Feb. 8 board of trustees meeting.
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The Journal News - 01/24/11 -
Rockland taps social media to get the word out on county services
NEW CITY — Rockland County has increased its use of social media to communicate with residents on 21st- century terms.
The latest tool is a service called Nixle, which the county has been testing since the summer and is now opening to public use.
Nixle content can only be posted by government agencies, said Frank Calise, an assistant director with the county's Management Information Systems Division.
Nixle can deliver public safety and community information and event notifications by Web, e-mail, and mobile phone text messages, he said.
The county Health Department has been using social media to get the word out about its services, said Una Diffley, acting director of the county's Public Health Education Division.
"We're using the tools because we're trying to be part of the 21st century and this is the way people are communicating," Diffley said.
The Health Department uses Facebook and Twitter and plans on increasing its use of YouTube.
Go to www.rocklandgov.com and click on the Nixle icon on the top of the page to sign up.
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The Journal News - 01/22/11 -
Appliance rebates offered to Orange & Rockland customers
PEARL RIVER — Those old freezers chilling soda in some garages are also sapping electricity and adding hundreds of dollars to annual power bills.
The state agrees and has approved an energy-efficiency program for O&R's residential customers. Small-business customers also can participate.
The Public Service Commission, which oversees utilities in New York, said the effort aims to support the stocking, promotion and sale of high-efficiency air conditioners and dehumidifiers, mainly through customer rebates.
James Denn, a spokesman for the PSC, said O&R was approved to use $1.5 million through 2012 to help fund the program, including the rebates.
The money for the program comes from a surcharge paid by customers and earmarked for energy-efficiency improvement programs, Denn said.
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The Journal News - 01/14/11 -
Astorino: More battles loom in fight to cut county spending
TARRYTOWN — County Executive Rob Astorino was on his proverbial home turf Thursday, outlining a strategy for getting Westchester off that podium, as he put it, for dubious distinctions: having the highest taxes in the country.
"The simple and direct answer is that government needs to get cheaper," Astorino told a crowd of several hundred business leaders at the Westchester Marriott Hotel in Tarrytown as part of the Westchester County Association's annual breakfast with the county executive. "Spending has to be cut. Really cut."
"There is no victory lap to be taken here," he said of a tax levy decrease. "One tax cut on 20 percent of the typical home owner's tax bill is not a cause for a parade or a party.
In somewhat of a continuation of the speech he made a year ago at the same forum when he called on nonunion managers to pay a portion of their health coverage, Astorino made a similar pitch for unions: Spiraling pension and health care costs must be curbed, he said.
"2011 is going to look a little like 2010. Any economic recovery is most likely to be puttering and sputtering. There will be less financial help than ever before from Albany and Washington. The challenge therefore will be for Westchester County to become as self sufficient as possible," he said. "The watchwords will be less is more. Less spending; more sharing. Less bureaucracy ; more performance. Less taxes; more prosperity."
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The Journal News - 01/13/11 -
State plans audit of Rockland's financial condition
NEW CITY — The state Comptroller's Office will conduct a detailed audit of Rockland's financial condition following Moody's downgrading of the county's bond rating.
The comptroller's office informed the county of its decision in a letter dated Tuesday: "In light of the issues raised in the recent lowering of Rockland County's bond rating, we have decided to forgo our normal risk assessment process and initiate an audit of the county's financial condition.
Word of the audit brought praise Wednesday from Legislator Ed Day, R-New City, who has called for such a review since first contacting the comptroller's office in November.
Several Rockland legislators have said they want the audit to be done so they can get a better grasp of the state of the county's finances. The county faces a deficit that could soar to about $80 million by the end of the year and potentially force significant property-tax increases, layoffs, program cuts or a combination of those actions.
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The Journal News - 01/03/11 -
Projects to lose federal funds if GOP's earmark ban takes hold
When it comes to congressional spending, one man's pork is another's nutritious, long-awaited meal.
With the GOP pledging to ban earmarks — money secured by representatives and senators for local projects — 39 civic projects in the Lower Hudson Valley will likely see $12.1 million in expected federal funds evaporate.
That grant, like the others, now appears to be dead because Congress has been unable to pass a budget bill by the end of the year. Republicans take control of the House this month and have promised to slaughter pork.
Rockland County hoped to benefit from $825,000 in earmarks for education and emergency services.
Those earmarks were $250,000 for a public safety network operated by the Rockland County Office of Fire and Emergency Services; $250,000 for the Small Business Development Center at Rockland Community College; $200,000 for online learning for the North Rockland school district; and $125,000 for the Domestic Violence Law Project.
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The Journal News - 12/15/10 -
Upper Nyack's question: Become a hamlet?
UPPER NYACK — Village residents listened Tuesday as the Board of Trustees presented the potential costs and benefits of restructuring Upper Nyack's relationship with the Town of Clarkstown.
In a nearly 25-minute presentation, Trustee Jeffrey Hindin discussed the pros and cons of either dissolving the village government and becoming a hamlet, maintaining the village's current state with the town or splitting with Clarkstown entirely.
Mayor Michael Esmay prefaced the presentation by saying the driving forces behind the board's interest in restructuring the village were rising taxes and a general feeling that the town does not provide adequate services to Upper Nyack in return.
Hindin noted Upper Nyack's $2.3 million tax burden paid to Clarkstown primarily in exchange for police services and access to town parks. About $900,000 of that figure provides coverage from the Clarkstown Police Department, he said.
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The Journal News - 12/13/10 -
Upper Nyack ponders break with Clarkstown
Upper Nyack will hold a meeting Tuesday to discuss its future as a village within the Town of Clarkstown.
Concern has been brewing within the village about the amount residents pay in taxes to the town in return for the services received.
James Sarna, a village trustee, said the village pays approximately $2.3 million in taxes to the town in return for police and access to town parks.
"We have no parks, no money for roads, no sewers or trash pickup. Only a half-police car patrolling," Sarna said. "We could accomplish the same thing for less."
The village's budget is $1.6 million. It has its own village government and services.
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The Journal News - 12/13/10 -
Nanuet schools, teachers at impasse over new contract
NANUET — The school district says it can't afford to give its teachers raises and predicts more will be laid off as it tries to hold down taxes amid rising costs and a shrinking tax base.
The teachers union said the raises it seeks are minimal and the teachers are being more than reasonable in their demands.
The teachers are asking for total salary increases of 3.5 percent over the next three years along with annual "step" increases that would average 2.58 percent each year of the contract.
The district wants the teachers to accept a deal with no raises and no step increases.
McNeill said the district is faced with a "confluence of factors" that are making the budget especially difficult, including big increases in teacher pension and health costs along with shrinking state aid and the potentially devastating loss of Pfizer, which makes up 40 percent of its tax base.
"Given the economy, the relatively low rate of inflation and the threat of Pfizer reducing its tax contribution, business as usual is no longer acceptable," McNeill told the Board of Education.
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The Journal News - 12/12/10 -
Rockland's $38.7M deficit: How did it grow, how can it shrink?
NEW CITY — With a budget deficit that shows no signs of stopping, two key issues beg review: How did Rockland County government get into this situation and how is it going to get out of it?
The county currently has a $38.7 million deficit that threatens to grow to at least $46 million by the end of 2010 and to at least $77 million by the end of 2011, according to consultants for the county.
The situation has become the focus of many county legislators, most of whom are expected to run in the November general election and express concern that the county remain in a position to provide vital services to residents.
Meanwhile, in a Dec. 2 letter, the state Comptroller's Office informed County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef, Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell and others it intends to conduct a "risk assessment" of government operations.
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The Journal News - 12/10/10 -
Clarkstown school board meetings to be broadcast
NEW CITY — The Clarkstown Board of Education voted unanimously to broadcast its meetings, ending a year-long effort by the PTA and other parties to make the gathering accessible to the larger community.
The Jan. 6 meeting of the school board will be the first broadcast, though residents may have to wait a week to view it. The resolution on the board's agenda Thursday called for the meetings to be videotaped and broadcast within a week of the meeting in most circumstances.
The PTA had suggested the broadcast to allow seniors, single parents or people who couldn't attend the meetings for various reasons the ability to view them from home.
In the past she has videotaped meetings and posted edited versions on YouTube..
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The Journal News - 12/10/10 -
Job and pay cuts allowed Rockland Legislature to reduce tax levy
NEW CITY — A review of the amended version of the 2011 county budget shows the Rockland Legislature relied on job cuts and the elimination of pay increases for three workers to reduce the tax levy.
Legislators voted Tuesday to amend the spending plan proposed by County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef before adopting the budget by a vote of 12-5.
Under the adopted version, homeowners with an average assessment will see their 2011 county tax bill increase by about 2 percent, or $12, to about $612, according to the Legislature, Vanderhoef and County Finance Director Chris Kopf.
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The Journal News - 12/08/10 -
Rockland Legislature amends Vanderhoef's budget, reduces property tax levy
NEW CITY — Rockland property owners would see their county taxes increase about 2 percent after the Legislature voted 12-5 to adopt a 2011 budget just before midnight Tuesday.
Legislators voted to amend County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef's proposed budget, which would have increased the tax rate by about 3.9 percent.
Under the adopted plan, the typical homeowner can expect to pay about $612 in county property taxes in 2011, an increase of about $12 over the 2010 bill. Vanderhoef had proposed a $24 increase.
Legislator Connie Coker, D-South Nyack, was among those casting a no vote. The others were Legislators Ed Day, R-New City; Doug Jobson, R-Stony Point; Joseph Meyers, D-Airmont; and Frank Sparaco, R-Valley Cottage.
Coker said the county's "extremely critical" fiscal position, the lack of a plan to address an increasing deficit, and the uncertainty of a proposal contained within the proposed budget all compelled her to vote no.
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Nyack-Piermont Patch - 11/29/10 -
Piermont Rowing Club to Overhaul New Area By Spring
Over the summer, the Piermont Rowing Club and village government tackled a two-month long debate—boats, or parking spaces?
The village ultimately chose to relocate the rowing club—which was located in the municipal parking lot adjacent to Piermont Library—to a hillside near Parelli Park. The rowing club's old spot will be converted into eight new parking spaces for the downtown.
Now, the village and club have set a timeline for the renovation of the new space: a comprehensive plan is due February, and work is expected to be completed in May.
"I realize we're going into the winter, but I would certainly like to see [the project completed] by the spring," said village trustee Steve Silverberg.
The Piermont Rowing Club will pay a reduced fee, since they are covering the improvement costs. Originally, the fee was set at $4,500 per year—now it is $1,800 per year.
The contract will run three years; the rowing club will pay $5,400 over that time period, rather than $13,500. The club will pay the first two years' fee up front, and the third year's fee in January of 2013.
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Nyack-Piermont Patch - 09/22/10 -
Piermont: Boats Will Be Moved To Make Room For Parking
Piermont officials have voted to relocate the Piermont Rowing Club's boat racks in order to make room for approximately eight new parking spots.
The vote took place at yesterday's village board meeting, and is the culmination of months of debate and discussion. Officials voted three to two.
Village officials cited their main reason for relocating the club's facilities as a shortage of parking spaces. Businesses in downtown Piermont require approximately 380 spaces, but there are only about 140 available, officials said.
As a result, PRC will be shifted to a close-by grassy field near Parelli Park. The club will use its own funds to develop and secure the new location; they must vacate their current location by Nov. 1.
Since the club will be carrying out the overhaul—which may run upward of $5,000, according to PRC president Ellen Hart—they will pay a reduced fee of $1,800 per year for three years.
Originally, Sanders had proposed PRC pay $4,500 to remain in their current spot, but residents and other trustees disagreed.
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The Journal News - 11/18/10 -
Rockland warned of $46M budget gap
Experts painted a bleak picture of county government's finances Wednesday, saying a budget deficit of at least $46 million could accumulate by the end of 2010 and $77 million by the end of 2011.
It currently stands at $38.7 million, the experts said.
The information was unsettling enough to lead one legislator, Gerold Bierker, R-Bardonia, to suggest that the only way to make any meaningful strides in addressing the problem could be to levy significant property tax increases.
"This is going to be a major, major hit on the real estate taxes that the county is going to have to collect," Bierker said. "That's the picture that I'm walking away with."
He recommended developing a plan to address the budget issues and said it should look ahead at least two to three years. He likened the budget to an ocean liner and said such ships take time to turn around.
In one of the more shocking revelations, DeSantis and expert Dominic Consolo told legislators that the elimination of 300 county government jobs and cutbacks across all departments since 2008 had done little to limit the damage inflicted by the loss of sales and mortgage tax revenues and state and federal aid.
The experts said the cost of labor agreements, health insurance, retirement plans, Social Security and workers' compensation, along with overtime costs and the hiring of relief workers in 2010, had eaten away at any savings that might have been realized by the reduction in the government workforce.
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The Journal News - 11/18/10 -
Clarkstown plans consolidation to save $452G yearly
The Clarkstown Town Board is pushing a consolidation and merger plan that would save taxpayers nearly a half-million dollars annually.
Under the plan, the department of the receiver of taxes would be abolished and its functions absorbed by the Assessor's Office. The town would explore the possibility of contracting with a local bank to assist with tax collection.
"These changes reflect our continued commitment to downsizing government," Supervisor Alexander Gromack said in a statement. "We began this process as a unified Town Board when I took office in 2004. Since then, we have decreased our town work force, lowered taxes and decreased our town's operating budget, all while maintaining the quality of services our town residents expect and desire."
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The Journal News - 11/20/10 -
Ramapo adopts $78.5M budget, tax rate increase for police, town services
RAMAPO — The Town Board adopted a $78.5 million budget for 2011 on Friday that the supervisor said raises town property taxes by $96 for the average taxpayer with a house valued at $350,000.
The budget boosts spending by $3.5 million and increases town property taxes by about 4.9 percent, and 6.2 percent for police services. The spending plan also includes 5 percent raises for elected officials and nonunion members.
St. Lawrence attributed the tax increase and rising costs predominately to state retirement benefits for municipal employees, including the police officers.
The budget also reflects 4 percent raises for Ramapo police officers in 2011 as part of a four-year contract extension.
Ramapo's contribution to the state retirement fund jumped to $5.95 million for 2011, up from $4.83 million, according to the budget. St. Lawrence said when he became supervisor in 2000, the town contribution stood at $70,000.
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Nyack-Piermont Patch is a hyper-local news website covering government, business, arts and sports in Nyack and Piermont—and only Nyack and Piermont. The site also features announcement, events, discussion forums and a comprehensive calendar.
Nyack-Piermont Patch - 09/22/10 -
Piermont: Boats Will Be Moved To Make Room For Parking
Piermont officials have voted to relocate the Piermont Rowing Club's boat racks in order to make room for approximately eight new parking spots.
The vote took place at yesterday's village board meeting, and is the culmination of months of debate and discussion. Officials voted three to two.
Village officials cited their main reason for relocating the club's facilities as a shortage of parking spaces. Businesses in downtown Piermont require approximately 380 spaces, but there are only about 140 available, officials said.
As a result, PRC will be shifted to a close-by grassy field near Parelli Park. The club will use its own funds to develop and secure the new location; they must vacate their current location by Nov. 1.
Since the club will be carrying out the overhaul—which may run upward of $5,000, according to PRC president Ellen Hart—they will pay a reduced fee of $1,800 per year for three years.
Originally, Sanders had proposed PRC pay $4,500 to remain in their current spot, but residents and other trustees disagreed.
The Journal News - 09/16/10 -
Orangetown hires firm to study police staffing, management
ORANGEBURG — The town supervisor's proposal to hire a consulting firm to review the police department's management and staffing surprised some town officials. But he's got enough support to move forward with it.
Orangetown Supervisor Paul Whalen, who took office January, brought up the proposal at Tuesday's Town Board meeting after the board finished discussing all the agenda items, except for one public hearing scheduled for later in the evening.
Finance Director Charles Richardson took the podium and explained to the Town Board members that upon Whalen's request, he had invited several firms to submit proposals for conducting the study.
In the letter that Richardson sent out to prospective applicants, he wrote that the town was considering allowing its police force "to be reduced through attrition given the current fiscal condition as well as rapidly rising pension and health benefit costs."
Nyack-Piermont Patch - 09/08/10 -
The Debate Continues: Boats, Or Parking Spaces?
It's likely one of the most polarizing issue in Piermont right now: allow the Piermont Rowing Club (PRC) to remain in the North Parking Lot, or relocate it to create eight new parking spaces.
Yesterday evening, Piermont's village board delved further into the issue and discussed possible solutions with residents. No official decision was made—it will be put to a vote at the Sept. 21 board meeting.
The board elaborated on the two possible relocation plans presented at last month's meeting: moving the PRC to Parelli Park, or onto a nearby grassy field.
The Journal News - 09/03/10 -
Rowing club involved in row over parking in Piermont
PIERMONT — A picturesque river village in the county is struggling with parking issues, and it isn't the one you think.
Piermont is trying to figure out whether it has enough parking spaces for visitors, and now the Piermont Rowing Club is conspicuously in the center of the debate.
The Journal News - 07/11/10 -
Orangetown Town Board report
Here is a recap of the June 22 Orangetown Town Board meeting. Supervisor Paul Whalen and board members Denis Troy, Tom Diviny, Nancy Low-Hogan and Michael Maturo were present. The Town Clerk's Office provided information for this report.
The Journal News - 07/05/10 -
Some local governments say state's pension borrowing plan is too risky
ALBANY — Municipalities are offering mixed reviews of a plan by the state Legislature and Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli to allow the state and local governments to essentially borrow from the state pension fund to lower huge spikes in retirement costs.
Some local governments are praising the proposal as a way to help them better manage pension costs, which for local governments are expected to soar by 61 percent next year. But others view it as another borrowing scheme by the state to avoid spending cuts and limits on public-employee benefits.
"Rather than cut spending and try to reduce the money we spend, we continue to look at ways to borrow, to bond and just get ourselves deeper in debt," said Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli, president of the state Association of Counties.
The Journal News - 07/05/10 -
Nyack board to vote on flag policy for Village Hall
NYACK — It all started last month when Mayor Richard Kavesh decided to fly the gay pride flag above Village Hall to showcase Nyack's inclusiveness.
A day later, on June 2, a Nyack employee asked Kavesh if the flag for Respect Life, a group that opposes abortion, could also be flown on the municipal flagpole.
Since both political messages deserved equal protection under the law, Nyack's trustees agreed. The board also was aware that it could be sued in federal court.
The Journal News - 05/25/10 -
Private wages fall in historic pay shift
Paychecks from private business shrank to their smallest share of personal income in U.S. history during the first quarter of this year, a USA TODAY analysis of government data finds.
At the same time, government-provided benefits — from Social Security, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other programs — rose to a record high during the first three months of 2010.
The trend is not sustainable, says University of Michigan economist Donald Grimes. Reason: The federal government depends on private wages to generate income taxes to pay for its ever-more-expensive programs. .
The Journal News - 05/24/10 -
Nyack hires new village administrator
NYACK — The village has hired its first village administrator to run its day-to-day business.
Jim Politi, who served a similar role in the village of Walden in Orange County for a decade, is beginning his first full week on the job today.
He will manage the Village Hall staff, oversee all village departments, manage parking issues, and lead new initiatives such as the village's superblock feasibility study and marina redevelopment.
Politi, who lives in Newburgh, will earn $83,720 a year. His salary will be offset by the retirement of village treasurer, John Cincotta, whose last day is Wednesday.
The Journal News - 05/23/10 -
Cuomo runs for governor, says state 'in trouble'
ALBANY — Andrew Cuomo announced his candidacy for governor Saturday, ripping state government as "a national disgrace" and vowing to work for the people not politicians, lobbyists or special interests to rebuild New York.
"My friends I think this upcoming election in November is probably the most important election for the state in my lifetime. To put it simply, New York state is in trouble," said Cuomo, referring to the troubled economy and hundreds of thousands of unemployed New Yorkers.
Cuomo offered a long list of plans to turn the state around:
• A cap on property taxes.
• A freeze on state taxes and public workers' salaries.
• A reduction of state agencies by 20 percent.
• A jobs tax credit for businesses.
• Stricter ethics and campaign-finance laws.
The Journal News - 05/21/10 -
Call to Action rally attendees 'fed up' with Albany
RYE BROOK — Robin Murphy has had it with the state.
"I'm fed up being forced to accept financial decisions from folks up in Albany that can't balance their own checkbook," she said. "I'm fed up with tax money going to 'stimulate' union-run, mismanaged quasi-government entities that are supposedly too big to fail while my business is treated as too small to save."
An owner of a home-cleaning business in Valhalla, Murphy has so many beefs with state lawmakers that she wants many of them swept out of office. So for the first time, she's getting involved and calling on others to do the same.
"We gotta roll up our sleeves. We gotta take matters into our own hands," Murphy said. "Sitting this one out is not an option."
Among issues raised by the WCA and its speakers were big budgets, growing deficits and high taxes; escalating mandates and restrictions on business; and a belief that there a disconnect between New Yorkers and their leaders.
The Journal News - 05/18/10 -
Can a cap fix New York's high property taxes?
ALBANY — The average statewide tax-levy increase for school spending has dropped consistently in recent years, falling from 6.89 percent in 2005 to 1.89 percent last year, the height of the state and national recession.
But with state support heading for a nose dive this year as lawmakers and Gov. David Paterson attempt to close a $9.2 billion budget gap, the average proposed hike in the local school-tax levy is 3.2 percent.
New York consistently ranks as one of the highest-taxed states in the nation, and local property-tax bills are 79 percent higher than the national average, a 2008 state report found.
The Journal News - 05/18/10 -
Where your property taxes go
Lower Hudson Valley governments, including counties and school districts, collected a total of $5.6 billion in tax levies in the 2009 fiscal year. Local school districts received the bulk of those levies, 64 percent, while the remaining was shared by counties (15 percent), towns (8 percent), villages (6 percent), cities (4 percent), and fire districts and special districts (2 percent each).
