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  PO Box 372, Nesconset, NY 11767 … USA: 800-833-2250 … LI: 631-588-6161 … Fax: 631-588-4284

                     Web address: www.lischooltax.com … email:  info@lischooltax.com

 

 

 

 

Dear Long Island Resident,

 

 

We are responding as concerned Long Islanders in retort to New York State United Teachers disinformation campaign against Tax Cap Legislation.  Without a tax cap most of us will not be able to live on Long Island. A call to your senator and assembly person would help.  Go to http://longislandincometax.com/index6.html for Legislator phone numbers & web sites.

 

NYSUT claims that New York Public Schools are succeeding as a result of a multi billion dollar annual investment in education is based on an "Education Week” study that scores New York on issues such as school finance, parental education and K-12 achievement in which the State scored a C-.     The one study, which the educational establishment never cites, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the gold standard of testing, clearly demonstrates a lack of progress in real classroom achievement.  Only in fourth grade mathematics did New York students post a solid gain, from a scale score of 238 in 2005 to 243 in 2007.  In eighth grade mathematics, fourth grade and eighth grade reading, there was no significant progress, despite ranking first in the nation in spending per elementary and high school student. Obviously the money does not improve test scores.  Obviously the money is spent on 6% annual salary raises and lavish benefits for educational personnel regardless of their merit.

 

NYSUT has stated that New Yorkers have and want to keep local control.   In light of a 10% voter turnout, the argument is difficult to defend.  Most people understand the futility of voting against a school budget where the deck is stacked against them: where they have no real voice in the process.    The NYSUT and their allies have been successful in passing pro union legislation, e.g. two votes if a budget fails; contingency budgets with tax rates that are on a par or higher than proposed budgets ; a vote in May rather than November. Although people may not be voting in school budgets, don’t think they are not voting.  In reality, they are voting with their feet and the process of de population in New York State will continue unless the legislature acts quickly.

 

Those who pay the bills, the taxpayers, are subject to unconscionable school taxes that have increased at least twice the inflation rate over the past five years. The increases are unsustainable and have done great damage to our communities. One out of four Long Island college graduates leaves the State. They are followed by business seeking an educated labor force and a tax friendly environment.  Our seniors  living on pensions are exiting en masse to live in affordable tax friendly States. It is obvious that the impact of exorbitant school taxes has fractured the fabric of our communities.  As we watch the ever increasing “for sale” and “for rent” signs on our streets, the educational establishment’s mantra, “it’s for the children”, begins to ring hollow.

 

It is painfully clear to anyone who takes the time to review the issue that huge sums of money are being spent but it does not translate into student achievement. Apparently, the educational establishment despite its self-righteous slogans, is interested in increasing salaries and benefits for their own members regardless of their members competency in the classroom. In fact, the NYSUT was instrumental in the shameful vote, which banned test scores from being factored into granting teacher tenure.   When most vacant teaching positions engender hundreds of applications from State certified teachers seeking the position, why can’t we hold teachers accountable for their work in their classrooms as evidenced by their student’s achievement ?

 

The simple answer to our problem is a tax cap.  It will stop the bleeding and restore sanity to the process. It will force school districts and unions to behave in a rational manner when they negotiate and sign union contracts. In the final analysis, it is the district that caves to the unions and signs off of exorbitant salaries and benefits. A tax cap will end the entire finger pointing and blaming.  Any tax cap such as the successful Massachusetts cap of 2-˝ % must be ironclad with a 2/3 override.  The people can no longer tolerate smoke and mirrors.  If New York fails to impose a mandatory tax cap on tax levy increases, it is our entire community that will suffer.  I only hope that you, the Legislature, will recognize that tax caps are the only “blunt instrument” as that will work.

LIFER...Long Islanders for Educational Reform 

For additional Information contact: Fred Gorman at 800-833-2250 or 631-588-6161

 

NYSUT LETTER

As a constituent and member of NYSUT, I am writing to address a particularly troubling issue in the executive budget. The proposal I am referring to is the appointment of a commission charged, among other things, with considering a school property tax cap. A tax cap proposal would take us in the wrong direction at a time when New York's education progress is being recognized.

First - New York Schools are succeeding. Only a few short weeks ago, Education Week's annual Quality Counts report showed that New York's schools received the highest overall marks nationwide. Our ratings show we are taking the right steps to reform education, improve achievement overall and close the achievement gap. Now the executive is considering a tax cap when tax caps have been shown to lead to serious reductions in the level and quality of public education. Why would we jeopardize this progress with arbitrary tax caps?

Second - tax caps do nothing to change the rising costs facing school districts; they only make it harder for schools to provide the services our children need. They cannot slow the increase in the cost of health care or fuel, for example, which reflect forces outside of the control of local officials.

Third - New Yorkers have and want to keep local control. Last year, voters approved 95 percent of the state's school budgets. They showed - yet again - that when asked to choose between quality schools and lower taxes their choice is quality schools. Local communities should be allowed to keep making these choices for themselves.

Lastly, tax caps have been shown to disproportionately affect lower-income communities. This will exacerbate disparities across the state in educational performance leaving lower-income communities even worse off relative to their higher-income counterparts.

You should also know that your efforts to reduce property taxes ARE making a difference. Growth in the Middle Class STAR program, as well as increases in state aid for Education has gone a long way toward reducing the property tax burden on New Yorkers. Evidence has shown us - as state aid increases, the need to raise local property taxes goes down. If you are looking to provide additional relief, a better option would be to create a circuit breaker similar to the one proposed in the Galef/Little bill (A.1575A/S.1053A). A circuit breaker would essentially "cap" an individual household's property taxes as a percentage of their income. This type of tax relief would target aid to the low and moderate-income homeowners who need it most, especially seniors.

If New York state imposes a mandatory tax cap on levy increases, it is our students who will suffer. I only hope that you, the Legislature, will recognize that tax caps are not only a "blunt instrument," as the governor puts it, but they are like a sledge hammer with the potential to do some serious destruction to New York's system of public education.

I thank you in advance for your support.

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