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Tax Issues

TAXES - School Districts

May 16, 2011

 

School Budget vote on Tuesday, May 17, 2011

 

Location: Your regular voting place

 

Time: Polls open 6am-9pm
 

The US Tax Foundation using data from 2007-2009 has found that Nassau County residents pay the highest property taxes in America. School taxes account for upwards of 60% of that tax burden. What can you do?

 

Review your budget and compare this year's budget to the last two years also looking at the currently rate of inflation (consumer Price Index of 1.5%). If your budget is neutral with no increase, flat with an increase equal to the rate of inflation or an insignificant rate increase, vote YES.

 

If the budget contains a significant increase, why? What action has the district taken to reduce costs? Did school employees increase their contribution to healthcare? Were wages frozen or cut? Were there  reductions in staff through attrition or layoffs? Were reserve funds used to keep any increase to a minimum? If not, vote NO.

 

 

 

May 3, 2011

Take Action, Join Operation Rollback

 

For all LI school budgets go to http://www.lischooltax.com/1010PTRC.pdf and print

For all LI teacher-administrator salaries go to http://www.lischooltax.com/08-9TS.pdf

For all LI Elected officials go to  http://longislandincometax.com/index6.html

For all LI School Districts go to http://www.longislandexchange.com/schools/school-districts.html

For your district’s teacher-administrator salaries & or salary flyers email gipc@optomline.net

 

Call and email all your Neighbors tell them before they vote the need to know 

1.       When you vote for a budget you are only voting for the total amount of the budget.  Never vote because of a program or line item.  The Board can change them at will.  

 

2.       Education law does not require Boards of Education to be accurate in their estimations or to use factual information because it is available.

 

3.       A School budget is this year's bad guess based on last year's bad guess, often without actual cost being considered.  Most budgets are under spent (over taxed) by millions

 

4.       Reserves are created by under spending (over taxing) the budget by millions and keeping the money rather than returning to the taxpayers to improve the district’s balance sheet  

 

5.       The difference between an adopted and contingent budget is the difference between an open checkbook and limited funds. An adopted budget can be changed after the voters approved the budget for unforeseen circumstances such as a new union contract signed a day after the voters approved the budget. Example the Sachem Board of Education increased their 2009-10 budget from $274 million to $277 million at the very last board budget meeting for an unforeseen circumstance. That unforeseen circumstance made a $6 million budget increase look like 3 million and stuck the voters with that increase forever.  

6.        A contingent budget limits spending to a specific amount and A Board cannot spend a dime more regardless of how much money they have.

 

Call all your School Board, Town, County and State elected officials tell them they must

 

  1. Publicly call for an Island wide teacher-administrator wage freeze and school district tax freeze

 

  1. Publicly call for a tax cap without carve outs or exemptions. Preferably, a property tax cap that is the lesser a 2.5% increase or the CPI + 20%

 

  1. Publicly call for districts not be permitted to reserve funds without voter approval

     

    Publicly call for districts to be required to use the same amount of reserves to reduce taxes if the budget passes or fails
If they refuse…Tell them to expect anyone you know to never vote for them again

 

 

                NYS 1st District Senator, Kenneth P. LaValle - Phone 631- 696-6900

                NYS 2nd District Senator, John Flanagan - Phone 631- 361-2154

                NYS 3nd District Senator, Brian Foley - Phone 631- -360-3356 

                NYS 4th District Senator, Owen Johnson - Phone 631- -360-3236 

                NYS 5th District Senator, Carl Marcellino - Phone 516- -922-1811 

                NYS 6th District Senator, Kemp Hannon - Phone 516- -739-1700 

                NYS 7th District Senator, Craig Johnson - Phone 516- 746-5923

                NYS 8th District Senator, Dean Sklos - Phone516- 766-8383 

                NYS 11th District Senator, Frank Padavan - Phone 718-343-0255

 

            Assembly District: 1st Marc S. Alessi - Phone 631-929-5540

            Assembly District: 2 nd Fred Thiele - Phone 516-537-2583 

            Assembly District: 3 rd Dean Murray - Phone 631-207-0073

            Assembly District: 4th Steve Englebright - Phone 516-751-3094 

            Assembly District: 5 th Ginny Fields - Phone 631-589-8685 

            Assembly District: 6 th Philip Ramos - Phone 631-435-3214 

            Assembly District: 7th Michael Fitzpatrick - Phone 631-724-3024 

            Assembly District: 8th Phil Boyle - Phone 631-647-9400 

            Assembly District: 9th Andrew Raia - Phone 631-261-4151 

            Assembly District: 10th James Conte, - Phone 631-424-5984 

            Assembly District: 11th Robert Sweeney - Phone 631-957-2087 

            Assembly District: 12th Joe Saladino - Phone 516-455-5305 

            Assembly District: 13th Charles Lavine - Phone 516-676-0050 

            Assembly District: 14th Robert Barra - Phone 516-561-8216 

            Assembly District: 15th Rob Walker - Phone 516-338-2693 

            Assembly District: 16th Michelle Schimel  - Phone 516-482-6966

            Assembly District: 17th Tom McKevitt 516-739-5119 

            Assembly District: 18th Earlene Hooper - Phone 516-489-6610 

            Assembly District: 19th David McDonough - Phone 516-731-8830 

            Assembly District: 20th Harvey Weisenberg - Phone 516-431-0500

 

            For County Executive , Edward Mangano   516-571-3131

            Legislator Nassau County st District, Kevan Abrahams 516- 571-620

                Legislator Nassau Co 2nd District Robert Troiano phone 516- 571-6202

                Legislator Nassau County Legislator 3rd t District, John Ciotti - Phone: 516- 571-6203

                Legislator Nassau County 4th District, Denise Ford- Phone: 516- 571-6204

                Legislator Nassau County 5th District, Joseph Scannell- Phone: 516- 571-6205

                Legislator Nassau County 6th District, Francis X. Becker, Jr. - Phone: 516- 571-6206

                Legislator Nassau Co 7th District Howard J. Kopel (516) 571-6207

                Legislator Nassau County 8th District, Vincent T. Muscarella- Phone: 516- 571-6208

                Legislator Nassau County 9th District, Richard J. Nicolello- Phone: 516- 571-6209

                Legislator Nassau County 10th District, Judi Bosworth phone (516) 571-6210

                Legislator Nassau County 11th District, Wayne H. Wink, Jr. phone (516) 571-6211

                Legislator Nassau County 12th District, Peter J. Schmitt- Phone: 516- 571-6212

                Legislator Nassau County 13th District, Norma L. Gonsalves- Phone: 516- 571-6213

                Legislator Nassau County 14th District, Joseph V. Belesi phone (516) 571-6214

                Legislator Nassau County 15th District, Dennis Dunne, Sr. - Phone: 516- 571-6215

                Legislator Nassau County 16th District Judith Jacobs- Phone: 516- 571-6216

                Legislator Nassau County 17th District, Rose Marie Walker (516) 571-6217

                Legislator Nassau County 18th District, Diane Yatauro - Phone: 516- 571-6218

 

                For County Executive Steve Levy  631-853-4000

                Suffolk County Legislator 1st District, Edward P. Romaine - Phone: 631- 852·3200  

                Suffolk County Legislator 2nd District, Jay Schneiderman - Phone: 631-852-8400

                Suffolk County Legislator 3rd  District, Kate M. Browning - Phone: 631-852-1300 

                Suffolk County Legislator 4th District, Tom Muratore  631) 854-9292

                Suffolk CoLegislator 5th District & Dept Presiding Officer, Vivian -Fisher -631- Phone: 854-1650

                Suffolk County Legislature 6th District & Minority Leader, Daniel Losquadro - 631-Phone: 854-1600

                Suffolk County Legislator 7th District, Jack Eddington - Phone: 631- 854-1400

                Suffolk Coy Legislator 8th District & Presiding Officer, William J. Lindsay - Phone: 631-854-9611

                Suffolk County Legislator 9th District, Ricardo Montano - Phone:631- 853-3700

                Suffolk County Legislator 10th District, Tom Cilmi (631) 854-0940

                Suffolk County Legislator 11th District, Thomas F. Barraga - Phone: 631-854-4100

                 Suffolk County Legislator 12th District, JOHN M. KENNEDY JR. - Phone: 631-854-3735

                Suffolk County Legislator 13th District, Lynne C. Nowick - Phone: 631-854-3900

                Suffolk County Legislator 14th District, Wayne R. horsley - Phone: 631-854-1100

                Suffolk County Legislator 15th District, DuWayne Gregory (631) 854-1111

                Suffolk County  Legislator 16th District, Steven H. Stern - Phone: 631-854-5100

                Suffolk County Legislator 17th District, Louis D'amaro - Phone: 631-854-4433

                Suffolk County Legislator 18th District & Majority Leader, Jon Cooper - Phone: 631-854-4500

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amagansett Union Free School District… 267-3572

Amityville Public School… 598-6500

Babylon Union Free School District… 661-5810

Baldwin Union Free School District… 377-9300

Bay Shore Union Free School District… 968-1100

Bayport-Blue Point Union Free District… 472-7860

Bellmore-Merrick Central School District… 516 992-1000

Bethpage Unon Free School District… 516-644-4001

Brentwood Union Free School District… 434-2325

Bridgehampton Union Free School District… 537-0271

Carle Place Union Free School District… 334-1900

Center Moriches Union Free School District… 878-0052

Central Islip Public Schools… 631-348-5112

Cold Springs Harbor Central School District… 367-5900

Commack Union Free School District… 754-7200

Comsewogue Union Free School District… 474-8100

Connetquot Central School District of Islip… 244-2215

Copiague Union Free School District… 842-4000

Deer Park Union Free School District… 242-6508

East Hampton Union Free School District… 329-4100

East Islip Union Free School District… 581-1600

East Meadow Union Free School District… 228-5200

East Moriches Union Free School District… 878-0162

East Quogue Union Free School District… 653-5210

East Rockaway Union Free School District… 887-8300

East Williston Union Free School District… 876-4740

Eastport Union Free School District… 325-0800

Eastport-South Manor Union CSD… 878-4441

Elmont Union Free School District… 326-5500

Elwood Union Free School District… 266-5400

Farmingdale Union Free School District… 752-6510

Floral Park-Bellerose Union Free District… 352-0766

Franklin Square Union Free School District… 481-4100

Freeport Union Free School District… 867-5200

Garden City Union Free School District… 294-3000

Glen Cove City School District… 759-7202

Great Neck Union Free School District… 773-1405

Greenport Union Free School District… 477-1950

Half Hollow Hills Central School District… 421-6400

Hampton Bays Union Free School District… 723-2100

Harborfields Central School District…

Hauppauge Union Free School District… 265-3630

Hempstead Union Free School District… 292-7000

Herricks Union Free School District… 248-3100

Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District… 374-8100

Hicksville Union Free School District… 733-6679

Huntington Union Free School District… 673-2054

Island Park Union Free School District… 431-8100

Island Trees Union Free School District… 520-2100

Islip Union Free School District… 581-2560

Jericho Union Free School District… 681-4100

Kings Park Central School District… 269-3200

Laurel Common School District… 298-4848

Lawrence Union Free School District… 295-7030

Levittown Union Free School District… 520-5674

Lindenhurst Union Free School District… 226-6441

Little Flower Union Free School District… 929-4300

Locust Valley Central School District… 674-6350

Long Beach City School District… 516-897-2104

Longwood Central School District… 345-2788

Lynbrook Union Free School District… 887-0256

Malverne Union Free School District… 887-6400

Manhasset Union Free School District… 627-4400

Massapequa Union Free School District… 797-6175

Mattituck-Cutchogue Union Free District… 298-4242 Ext. 254

Merrick Union Free School District… 378-3900

Middle Country Cental School District… 738-2714

Miller Place union Free School District… 474-2700

Mineola Union Free School District… 741-1242

Montauk Union Free School District… 668-2474

Mount Sinai Union Free School District… 473-1991

New Hyde Park-Garden City School District… 352-6257

North Babylon Union Free School District… 321-3209

North Bellmore Union Free School District… 221-2200

North Merrick Union Free School District… 379-4365

North Shore Central School District… (516) 277-7801

Northport-East Northport School District…

Oceanside Union Free School District… 678-1200

Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central District… 624-6504

Oysterponds Union Free School District… 323-2410

Patchogue-Medford Union Free School District… 758-1000

Plainedge Union Free School District… 797-4400

Plainview-old Bethpage Central district… 937-6301

Port Jefferson Union Free School District… 476-4434

Port Washington Union Free School District… 767-4326

Quogue Union Free School District… 653-4285

Remsenburg-Speonk Union Free School District… 325-0203

Riverhead Central School District… 369-6700

Rockville Centre Union Free School District… 255-8921

Rocky Point Union Free School District… 744-1600

Roosevelt Union Free School District… 867-8600

Roslyn Union Free School District… 625-6303

Sachem Central School District at Holbrook… 467-8202

Sag Harbor Union Free School District… 725-5300

Sayville Union Free School District… 244-6510

SCOPE… 360-0800

Seaford Union Free School District… 516-592-4012

Sewanhaka Central High School District… 488-9800

Shelter Island Union Free School District… 749-0302

Shoreham-Wading River Central School District… 821-8100

Smithtowm Central School District… 361-2200

South Country Central School District… 286-4300

South Huntington Union Free School District… 425-5432

Southampton Union Free School District… 283-6800

Springs Union Free School District… 324-0144

Syosset Central School District… 364-5605

Three Village Central School District… 474-7500

Tuckahoe Common School District… 283-3550

Uniondale Union Free School District… 560-8957

Valley Stream Union Free School District… 568-6100

Wantagh Union Free School District… 516-679-6300

West Babylon Union Free School District… 321-3076

West Hempstead Union Free School District… 489-7466

West Islip Union Free School District… 888-2400

Westbury Union Free School District… 876-5016

Westhampton Beach Union Free School District… 288-3800

William Floyd Union Free School District… 874-1100

Wyandanch Union Free School District… 491-1013

 

February 9, 2010

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s office identified $880 million in excess funds unnecessarily held in reserve accounts, missed cost savings and questionable payments by school districts across the state, according to a report DiNapoli released today.

Over the last five years auditors identified $615 million that districts unnecessarily set aside at taxpayers’ expense. That’s money that could have been used to lower property taxes

 

The NYS Comptroller Found that some school districts’ budget processes routinely result in significant annual surpluses.

 

In addition, DiNapoli’s audits identified:

  • $140 million in missed Medicaid reimbursements;
  • $25 million in improper contract payments;
  • $24 million in cost savings and revenue enhancements that school districts could implement;
  • Nearly $18 million in fraud at 19 school districts;
  • $7.7 million in inappropriate separation payments and other payments to school administrators and other employees; and
  • $49.4 million in contracts that did not benefit from competition.

 

 Also included in the findings of the internal control audits conducted by examiners were issues related to inadequate segregation of financial duties

  • 351 audits, claims auditing inadequacies
  • 279 audits, and poor use of competition when procuring goods and services
  • 274 audits, weak information technology controls
  • 115 audits To address these internal control issues, the report provides detailed recommendations

August 18, 2009

Will Taxpayers have to bailout NYS Teachers Retirement System?

Courtesy of the Legislature: the Teacher Pension Debacle
by Dr. Graham A. Kerby-Long Islanders for Education Reform

Its conclusions and findings were as follows:

• New York State legislators have continually enhanced public employee pensions and have delayed reforming an unsustainable State teacher pension system.

• The New York State Teachers Retirement System (NYSTRS) was consequently compelled to pursue an aggressive investment strategy that was in itself aggressive and in relation to that of other state pension funds. This policy imploded in 2008. At the March 2009 market bottom the system portfolio had fallen by a third from its June 2007 high meaning it would have to double to regain this value. To return to trend it would have to increase by a stupendous seventy-five percent.

• As of now the NYSTRS is probably a third off where it should be if it was meeting its own target. To return to trend growth the NYSTRS portfolio would have to increase by about fifty percent. Worse, a good portion of its private equity and real estate portfolios are not being marked to market.

Legislature pandering to public unions forced the NYSTRS to pursue a particularly risky investment strategy. It had a particularly large commitment to equities and had strayed outside the standard pension S&P 500 investment universe. It also ventured into the risky world of alternative investments in the form of private equity despite academic research showing that private equity returns would likely be disappointing. It had a particularly low bond exposure. NYSTRS investment strategy was far more aggressive than that of it peers. After market collapses similar to that of the present, financial markets have taken from six to fourteen years to regain their former highs. Since the NYSTRS must not only regain its former high, but must earn eight percent a year while doing so it might well be many a year before its portfolio returns to trend growth.

 

Even before the 2008 market implosion the NYSTRS was dependent upon capital gains to pay current benefits. In other words its portfolio failed to generate sufficient income to pay current benefits.  accordingly, it envisioned doubling the employer contribution rate. Now it must do more than that. In the 1970s, when equity markets last suffered years of sub-par performance, employer contributions rose to almost a quarter of payroll. A figure of one-third would not be surprising.

 

The great NYSTRS mistake was not to increase its bond allocation in the late 1990s when it was twenty percent over funded. Instead it left money on the table for the Legislature to give away to those who fund and man its election campaigns. In short, the Legislature, forever in thrall to the public sector unions, failed to reform an already unsustainable pension system. Thanks to its State Legislature school property taxpayers can look forward to years of rapidly escalating taxes. Children can look forward to program cuts. As always blame it on the ‘most dysfunctional legislature’ in the land.

Click here for the in depth report.

September 4, 2008  

Public Hearing to focus on Special Education & School District Mandate Relief

On Tuesday, September 9th, Governor David A. Paterson and Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi will hold a public hearing on property taxes that will focus on Special Education & School District Mandate Relief. There will be one hour of public comment. Long Islanders for Education Reform will be represented by Graham Kerby and Anita Mac Doughall who will deliver a special education presentation.  

The meeting will take place at the Nassau County Executive building’s Theodore Roosevelt Ceremonial Chamber,  1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola, NY 11501. The meeting will begin at 12:30 PM and end at 3:00PM. The public comment portion will begin at 2:30PM. Anyone wishing to comment must fill out a card by 12 noon in order to speak.

Press_Release from Long Islanders for Education Reform

June 17, 2008

UPDATE: Members of Long Islanders for Education Reform (LIFER) and good government groups across the state met with Governor Patterson today to discuss the Commission on Property Tax Relief's recommendation to enact a tax cap. The Governor held a news conference in which he endorsed the tax cap and called on the legislature to pass this much needed tax relief measure.

June 2, 2008

New York State Commission on Property Tax Relief recommends tax cap. Report seen as encouraging.

An initial analysis by the Long Islanders for Education reform found the report by the NY State Commission on Property Tax Relief to be taxpayer friendly and a giant step in the right direction. While the report contained many positive aspects, there is some concern over the recommendation to alter the STAR program once the tax cap is enacted. The new STAR "circuit breaker" provision would be based on income and ability to pay. While the tax cap would help to restrain property tax growth for all taxpayers, many middle class taxpayers may not qualify under the circuit breaker provision for actual tax relief.

 

The Commission made the following recommendations pertaining to a tax cap:

 

-Tax levies would be limited to 4 percent a year, or 120 percent of the rate of inflation, whichever is less. This year It would have been  3.36 %.  

 

-A tax levy exceeding the cap in any given year would require approval by at least 55 % of district residents in an "override" vote.  If state aid to the district is increasing by 5%, the super-majority requirement for override approval would be raised to 60 %.   Districts would no longer need to seek voter approval for annual budget proposals that do not exceed the tax levy cap.

The voters also could petition the school board for an "under-ride" referendum to reduce the cap below the statutory amount ( similar to the Fitzpatrick bill). 

 

-The report also includes an ingenious provision allowing districts to "bank" unused cap room -- thus giving them an incentive not to automatically hike taxes as far as the cap would allow every year.   But they cannot "withdraw" from their bank any more than an added 1.5% a year. This actually IMPROVES on the Massachusetts Prop 2.5 law.


There are several other positive aspects, of which the two most significant are the following:

 

The report recommends reform of the Triborough provision to eliminate automatic step increases after a contract has expired. It also recommends new disclosure and transparency guidelines requiring districts to make public details of teacher contracts and their impacts.

LIFER responds to opposition by New York State Teachers Union. Click here for press release and NYSUT letter

January 2, 2008

LIFER endorses Assembly bill to address School Tax crisis

A bill to address out of control spending by school districts was introduced by Assembly member Mike Fitzpatrick (R,C,I-Smithtown). The New York State Property Taxpayers Protection Act (A08775) will provide the following reforms:

 

ü       Caps School tax increases at the lower of inflation or 4%

ü       Superintendents and treasurers would sign school district financials and be criminally and civilly liable

ü       New state mandates would be paid for by the state

ü       Budgets and contracts would to be publicly posted at least a month in advance

ü       School districts would be permitted to pool together to purchase less expensive medical insurance

The bill was endorsed by Long Islanders for Education Reform.  For more information and to see what you can do, click here. 

New York state property taxpayers protection act

September 27, 2006

Suffolk Grand Jury Report critical of lucrative benefit packages to school administrators, calls for legislative changes, recommends citizen oversight before school boards okay generous salary and benefit deals. For more information, click here.

We are gratified that the Grand Jury adopted many of our reform proposals recommended back in July 2004 School District Financial Reform.