| Author |
Message |
    
Alceste
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 24, 2001 - 10:55 am: |     |
Now we have a rift between the "East" and "West" sides of town. The people on the former side say that they've been paying too much in taxes for years, and now the people on the latter side say that they're being soaked by the new assessments. Guess what? They're both right.
EVERYONE IN THIS TOWN PAYS TOO MUCH IN PROPERTY TAXES.
Whether or not we had the reassessment, this would be true. Instead of cutting each others throats over the new valuations - as has happened in the two town meetings and on this board - we ought to band together and take the fight to Trenton.
THIS COMMUNITY IS TOO SMALL TO AFFORDABLY PROVIDE SERVICES AND SUPPORT A SCHOOL SYSTEM.
The big failure of the town's leadership is that, by accepting the reassessment, they're accepting the current method of municipal funding. When the news trucks, "New York Times", "Star Ledger", etc. were here, DeLuca, Ryan, et. al. had the chance to publically say, "This stinks. The system here in NJ stinks. We're all getting screwed." They didn't. I don't know if they could change anything, but they didn't even try. And, we're still stuck with an oppressive tax burden. |
Nohero
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 24, 2001 - 11:08 am: | |
Our elected officials (especially Mr. Ryan) have repeatedly pointed out that the ultimate solution is a change in how this state funds public education. The current state administration has been openly hostile to such change. At the risk of repeating myself, the current state administration was elected on a promise to reduce the one source of funding which provides an alternative to use of the property tax to fund education. (Yes, I have said this a lot. It happens to be something that concerns me a great deal.)
Also at the risk of repeating myself, those who voted for Whitman, got exactly what they were promised. The current state of affairs is not the fault of our municipal officials. Maybe this year, this community will mobilize itself for real education funding reform in Trenton. |
John
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 24, 2001 - 12:59 pm: | |
Nohero - BINGO!!!!! And I'd like to add... Stop Voting for BOND ISSUES to pay for something now. The TAX BILL ADDS UP. If we can't pay for it now what makes you think we can pay more for it later. Not that you should vote against all Bond issues but make sure it is a wise choice. And one you are willing to pay for years down the road. |
Jspjnc
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 24, 2001 - 1:44 pm: | |
Yes, yes yes. The issue is fairness. Taxation can be progressive, or it can be regressive. Property taxes are pretty regressive, since everyone needs housing. More regressive would be a sales tax on food. More progressive would be an income tax. I remember a few years back, when Florio was gov. the method of funding schools in NJ was found to be illegal (unconstitutional?)Florio attempted to raise income taxes to pay for education. Guess what happened to him? Whatever happened to that court decision about school funding?
Just out of curiosity (or ignorance, if you will) why don't small towns have income taxes? After all, New YOrk City does. I assume it is because it would be too expensive for a small town to administer.
Jonathan Poor |
Lseltzer
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 24, 2001 - 2:38 pm: | |
I'd also like to point out to Alceste that he/she doesn't know that the town officials didn't say that the system stinks. All we know is that they weren't quoted on that. I've worked at newspapers. Start with the assumption that any story is unfair. |
|