Hi all...
[scroll down just a bit below to see how county property taxes could be cut in half with local income tax!]
Yep-- it's true-- last night even most of our County Legislature's Republican caucus (GOP Co. Leg.'s Gary Cooper, Rob Rolison, Suzanne Horn, Angela Flesland, John Forman, Marge Horton, and David Kelly)-- along with most of the Dem caucus (including me) voted to approve county tax levy for 2010...
[if this was irresponsibly rejected, $100 million in county property taxes couldn't be collected next year;
feel free to view webcast of last night's mini-mtg. here-- http://www.totalwebcasting.com/live/dutchess/ ]
So-- kudos to Cooper, Rolison, Horn, Flesland, Forman, Horton, and Kelly (and most of my own caucus) for following through on our bipartisan 21-4 promise/commitment made a few weeks ago to restore at least some (83%-- not enough) funding to various nonprofits and county departments cut/vetoed by the County Exec (thx to Dem leadership on these)-- so at least SOME funding was put back in for Human Rights Commission, school resource officers, deputy sheriffs, Grace Smith House, Cooperative Extension, DC Arts Council, Mental Health Assoc. of DC, Mid-Hudson Library Systems, Youth Bureau, Planning, DCDOH sanitarian/engineer, Comptroller accounting clerk, etc...
[click on these four links for reporting on last night's County Legislature meeting setting tax levy for '10:
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20091229/NEWS01/912290321/Dutchess-property-tax-rate-to-rise-11 ; http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2009/12/29/news/doc4b396e1886474565547946.txt
http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/December09/29/DCL_taxlevy-29Dec09.html ;
http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/December09/28/Steinhaus_2010-28Dec09.html ]
However...too many services still ended up getting cut; too many laid off-- while tax hike too high still!...
So-- join 111 other Dutchess folks for tax fairness now-- at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/SaveDuCo ...
...and email all 25 of us at countylegislators@co.dutchess.ny.us to avoid this madness next year!...
Fact: Several years ago Fiscal Policy Institute Ex. Dir. Frank Mauro crunched the numbers for Dutchess County and determined that county property taxes could literally be slashed in HALF-- with a local county-level income tax surcharge here for Dutchess of 10%; see http://www.FiscalPolicy.org these too:
http://www.fiscalpolicy.org/dutchessRPTlevies.htm ; http://www.fiscalpolicy.org/dutchess1999and2000.htm ;
http://www.fiscalpolicy.org/dutchess2001.htm ; http://www.fiscalpolicy.org/ImpactatDifferentIncomeLevels.htm .
[recall 2003 campaign of Fred Bunnell for County Exec-- for local income tax-- to slash property taxes!]
Fact: Even Molinaro, Miller for income tax hikes to cut property taxes; click these links to see for yourself:
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=103&sh=story&story=25529 ;
http://assembly.state.ny.us/member_files/102/20060628/ ;
http://propertytaxideas.nysenate.gov/akira/pmd/2174-3904 .
[...and Cahill has better proposal-- join 70+ signed to my http://www.PetitionOnline.com/FairTax effort]
[see much more on this @ http://www.petitiononline.com/fairtax ]
Recall similar recommendation from the Fiscal Policy Institute in their November 2006 report on NYS:
["One New York: An Agenda for Shared Prosperity" http://www.fiscalpolicy.org/OneNewYork~FPI.pdf ]
"The governor and the legislature should consider giving county governments the authority to levy a "piggyback" income tax for county government purposes. Such a tax could be structured like the income tax that the city of Yonkers is currently authorized to impose. The use of such an option would make a county's revenue system more progressive and place less of the burden on middle and lower income residents. The state tax system is now so distorted that the governor and the legislature should undertake a comprehensive review. An essential part of what the governor and the legislature should do, however, is to help localities to reduce property taxes by restoring
progressivity to state income taxes. In addition, the state government could give localities more flexibility in how they collect taxes, allowing them to move away from over-reliance on the property and sales taxes and instead raising funds through a local version of an income tax."
[see: "Restructuring New York City's Personal Income Tax: A Proposal from the Drum Major Institute":
http://www.drummajorinstitute.org/pdfs/DMI%20tax%20reform%20FINAL.pdf ; more re: NYC rates here:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/pdf/interest_rates/pitrates.pdf ;
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/services/business_tax_nys_income.shtml ]
So again-- sign on to http://www.PetitionOnline.com/SaveDuCo -- and post comment in support of REAL tax reform now-- for US on Main Street-- not the fat cats on Wall Street-- join over 110 Dutchess folks signed on for local income tax to stop county property tax hikes, county sales tax being so high too!...
[ http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Fairness + http://www.petitiononline.com/stopcuts -- local income tax]
[if you thought THIS year's budget was horrific-- with budget cuts, layoffs, tax hike-- wait 'til next year; if we don't ALL get educated and activated NOW, folks-- to push for REAL tax reform-- we are done, folks!]
Again-- remember Orwell?..."In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act"...
Well, it's high time for a revolution, folks-- time for revolutionary truths below on taxes to get out now!...
[...and-- most definitely-- letters to editor to local papers needed to get these out asap-- need your help]
Seven facts on taxes, wealth, & economic development crucial to understanding/solving county taxes:
[call Paterson/state leg.'s asap on these-- (877) 255-9417-- and Congress at (800) 828-0498 too!]
Fact #1: Middle class New Yorkers now pay a much higher percentage of our income (over 11%) in state & local taxes than millionaires do (only 7%)-- when property and sales taxes are also considered.
[see: http://www.itepnet.org/wp2009/ny_whopays_factsheet.pdf ]
Fact #2: Millionaires now pay only a 35% federal income tax rate-- but they used to pay over a 90% rate back in the 50's under GOP President Eisenhower. [sign: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/ILikeIke ]
Fact #3: Millionaires now pay a state income tax rate less than 9%-- but they used pay over a 15% state income tax rate under GOP Gov. Rockefeller. [see: http://www.fiscalpolicy.org/taxhistory2.htm ]
Fact #4: The richest 1% of American households now own the same net worth as the other 95% of us.
http://hudson-valley.chronogram.com/issue/2009/11/News+&+Politics/Larry-Beinhart-s-Body-Politic
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/oct/01/michael-moore/moore-says-top-1-percent-owns-more-financial-wealt/
Fact #5: Almost 90% of all new jobs are from small business; property taxes, not income taxes kill them.
[see: http://www.sba.gov/advo/stats/sbfaq.pdf ]
Fact #6: 98% of small business owners across the U.S. make less than $250,000/year (not super-rich).
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2008/oct/16/barack-obama/most-small-businesses-wont-be-subject-to-obamas-ta/
Fact #7: Up until 1981 there was a tiny tax on transactions/stock transfers on Wall Street; see:
[recall-- Working Families Party of NYS has been strong proponent of bringing this back for fairness]
"Taxing the Speculators" by Paul Krugman [NYTimes 11/27/09]
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/opinion/27krugman.html
"The Benefits of a Financial Transactions Tax" [Center for Economic Policy and Research]
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/reports/the-benefits-of-a-financial-transactions-tax/
"Ferrer Proposes Return of Tax on Stock Trades to Aid Schools" [New York Times 4/19/05]
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D02E0DA1F3EF93AA25757C0A9639C8B63 ...
"A Stock Transfer Tax: The Right Medicine for Wall Street" by Dean Baker [3/15/08]
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/03/15/a_stock_transfer_tax_the_right/
"Big Idea: Tax the Street" by J.W. Mason [City Limits Magazine 9-10/02]
http://www.citylimits.org/content/articles/viewarticle.cfm?article_id=2806 ...
[Question: Who out there would like to join yours truly in starting a local chapter of TEA PARTY Dutchess?...(Taxed Enough Already-- Push for Action for Rich to be Taxed: Yes!)...(house parties soon);
yes-- also starting chapter of BUFT too-- Businesses for Fair Taxation-- let me know if you're interested!]
Recall NYTimes' Dec. 2nd "Misguided Tax Revolt" editorial re: Nassau County election-- referred to Suozzi-- but easily applicable to Dutchess-- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/02/opinion/02wed2.html ...
And don't forget-- even budget analysts hired by Co. Leg. have found gaping budget hole for 2011!...
[recall-- http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20091205/NEWS01/912050320 ]
[as always, PLEASE share your sentiments with all 25 of us at countylegislators@co.dutchess.ny.us]
Pass it on...
Joel
242-3571/876-2488
joeltyner@earthlink.net
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
And-- let's not forget these cuts we Dems tried to avoid, but Co. Exec, GOP sadly bent on, happened:
[yep-- these cuts went through, folks-- let's keep an eye on how these cuts affect services in 2010!]
-- $26,000 cut to the Dutchess County Office of Veterans Affairs (part-time employee laid off)
-- $209,839 cut to Dutchess County Community Action Agency (meaning less services, layoffs)
-- $165,960 cut to the Astor Home for Children (meaning less services, layoffs)
-- $114,000 cut to Family Services (meaning less services for the most vulnerable in our county)
-- $106,987 cut to Hudson River Housing (in the midst of worst housing/foreclosure crisis in decades)
-- $56,553 cut to the Lexington Center for Recovery (shortfunding methadone clinic for heroin addicts)
-- $28,111 cut to the Mediation Center of Dutchess County (shortfunding great cost-effective program)
[...and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cuts to our county's Board of Elections-- meaning cruel, stupid layoffs!...just before 2010-- BOE might be dealing w/new optical scanners, two Sen. elections!...]
We Dems tried to override the County Exec's vetoes/cuts on most of these above-- GOP stopped us;
don't believe me; see for yourself here, folks-- http://www.totalwebcasting.com/view/?id=dutchess ...
And-- besides all of the above, earlier this month there was bipartisan agreement agreed to by 21 of 25 legislators to lower our county workforce to 35 LESS county employees than Dutchess County had back in 1987, funding was cut 17% (by over $800,000) to practically all of our county's nonprofits, four women with about 20 years' experience each working for our county were laid off from our county's Long-Term Home Health Care Program-- and our county's ten Office for the Aging Senior Friendship Centers are shifting from five-day weeks to four-day weeks (I know for a fact that seniors' and workers' hearts are breaking from these; I tried with amendments in Dec. to stop all these cuts, to no avail)...
[budget cuts are NOT helpful in recession; recall CBPP/FPI: http://www.fiscalpolicy.org/10-30-01sfp.pdf ]
Recall alternative cost-savers I've proposed @ http://www.PetitionOnline.com/SaveDuCo ; 111 on board; see "view current signatures" to see comments < 101 from across county in support; join us, sign on; Canadian Rx option for county employees, bail loans, MEGA membership would save millions!...
http://www.MEGAEnergy.org http://www.PetitionOnline.com/SaveOnRx http://wwwOARTompkins.com ;
note as well-- part of this petition calls for a fundamentally different way to fund county services; see below...even if it's just 10% or 20% of county budget that comes from income tax, would work wonders...
Undeniable fact remains that even compromise budget arrived at 2 weeks ago mean cuts and layoffs;
Dems led way getting GOP to restore 83% of 2010 funding for these 14 agencies but these cuts remain:
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $185,000 to Cornell Cooperative Extension-- people will be hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $113,000 to Hudson River Housing-- yes, people will be hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $111,000 to Grace Smith House-- yes, people will be hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $100,000 to Community Action Partnership-- people will be hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $87,000 to Astor Home for Children-- yes, people will be hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $55,000 to Dutchess County Arts Council-- people will be hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $41,000 to Mid-Hudson Library System-- people will be hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $23,000 to Mental Health Association of Du. Co.-- people hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $23,000 to BOCES (transition/re-entry)-- yes, people will be hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $21,000 to the Mediation Center of Du. Co.-- people will be hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $11,000 to Lexington Center-- yes, people will be hurt
-- an unsustainable and unfair cut of $3000 to Literacy Connections-- yes, people will be hurt
It didn't have to be like this-- recall proven, common-sense revenue alternatives we could do here:
Municipal Electricity/Gas Alliance membership (as in 23 co.'s)...........$300,000 in new revenue
Canadian Rx option for county employees/retirees (as in 5 co.'s)......$1.5 million in new revenue
Bail loan fund for some accused of nonviolent misdemeanors...........$1 million in new revenue
[again-- for much, much more on how these three programs have been PROVEN to work in other co.'s--
[ http://www.MEGAEnergy.org http://www.PetitionOnline.com/SaveOnRx http://wwwOARTompkins.com ]
Again-- one more reason our county's senior home care program shouldn't have been eliminated is that It's also been proven repeatedly that a robust system of community-based senior home care saves tons of money for families-- and tons of tax dollars compared to nursing home placements for those same seniors. As Robert Gumson, Unit Manager for VESID Independent Living Services, told all of us assembled at the Taconic Resources for Independence's 19th Annual Celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act (at Wallace Center in Hyde Park this July), literally sixty to seventy percent of all senior citizens in nursing homes here in New York State don't need to be there-- and many tax dollars could be saved locally if Dutchess County followed the good examples of Warren and Washington counties and took advantage of Pataki-era Medicaid waiver program to expand home care for seniors...
[see: http://www.ADAPT.org ; http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/07/19/finally_long_term_home_health_care/ ; http://homecaremag.com/news/aarp-endorses-empowered-home-act-20090608/ ]
"Marist College economic Professor Ann Davis said that it is possible that government spending may be a stabilizing factor in a down economy by maintaining jobs and services. 'You have to look at what would have been cut and who is being taxed,' she said. The tax rate and levy increases might not necessarily be bad for the economy, Davis said."
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20091211/OPINION01/912110312/1004/opinion/Editorial--Legislature-s-2010-budget-must-not-stand
...and...both Goldberg and Cooper hit the nail on the head with their quotes in Dec. 11 paper too:
Majority Leader Sandra Goldberg, D-Wappinger, argued Steinhaus' proposals would shift costs onto municipalities, which would force them to increase local taxes. "If we push costs down to the towns, then we are no better than the state pushing costs down to the county," Goldberg said. To those who are angry about the tax increase, Minority Leader Gary Cooper, R-Pine Plains, said, "Do you believe that county government should provide public safety? I happen to believe that should be the core mission of county government."
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20091211/NEWS01/912110341/Dutchess-taxpayers-fume-over-proposed-tax-levy-increase
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Below from today's paper's, then...
Dutchess Property Tax Tate To Rise 11%
JENNY LEE-ADRIAN * POUGHKEEPSIE JOURNAL * DECEMBER 29, 2009
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20091229/NEWS01/912290321/Dutchess-property-tax-rate-to-rise-11-
The Legislature approved 16-6 Monday the county property tax levy and tax rate.
The "yes" votes: Chairman Roger Higgins, D-New Hamburg; Majority Leader Sandra Goldberg, D-Wappinger; Assistant Majority Leader Margaret Fettes, D-Millbrook; Minority Leader Gary Cooper, R-Pine Plains; Assistant Minority Leader Robert Rolison, R-City of Poughkeepsie; Legislators Suzanne Horn, R-Pleasant Valley; Richard Keller-Coffey, D-Town of Poughkeepsie; Angela Flesland, R-Town of Poughkeepsie; Dan Kuffner, D-Hyde Park; Steve White, D-City of Poughkeepsie; Barbara Jeter-Jackson, D-City of Poughkeepsie; Joel Tyner, D-Clinton; Alison MacAvery, D-Town of Fishkill; John Forman, R-Beacon; Marge Horton, R-Town of East Fishkill; and David Kelly, R-Pawling.
The "no" votes: Legislators James Doxsey, C-Town of Poughkeepsie; Dale Borchert, R-LaGrange; Robert Weiss, R-Town of East Fishkill; James Miccio, R-Village of Fishkill; Gerald Hutchings, R-Beekman; and Peter Wassell, D-Dover.
Legislators Diane Nash, D-Hyde Park; William McCabe, D-Union Vale; and Tom Mansfield, D-Red Hook, were absent.
Most Dutchess County property owners will see a more than 11 percent increase in the county property tax rate for next year.
The Legislature approved 16-6 Monday night a $100.8 million county property tax levy for 2010 - a 6.5 percent increase from the 2009 tax levy of $94.6 million.
The property tax levy is the amount to be collected in taxes.
In most municipalities, the 2010 county property tax rate will be $2.83 per $1,000 of assessed value compared with $2.54 in 2009.
Monday's meeting wrapped up a contentious budget process, in which County Executive William Steinhaus proposed cuts and new revenues that affected jobs and services. Democratic and Republican legislators negotiated over what to keep or cut. Although an agreement between both caucuses to have nine Democrats and nine Republicans vote to override vetoes disintegrated , many legislators still chose to override most of Steinhaus' 150 vetoes on Dec. 17, which increased the property tax levy for next year.
Legislators James Doxsey, C-Town of Poughkeepsie; Dale Borchert, R-LaGrange; Robert Weiss, R-Town of East Fishkill; James Miccio, R-Village of Fishkill; Gerald Hutchings, R-Beekman; and Peter Wassell, D-Dover, voted Monday against the property tax levy. Legislators Diane Nash, D-Hyde Park; William McCabe, D-Union Vale; and Tom Mansfield, D-Red Hook, were absent.
PROPERTY TAX RATES BY MUNICIPALITY
For the 2010 county budget, the Dutchess County Legislature approved Monday the county property tax rates for towns and cities. The dollar amounts represent the rate per $1,000 of assessed value. The rates vary from town to town based on equalization rates, which are the ratio between a property's assessed value and what the state estimates is that property's market value.
2010 rate Change from 2009
Amenia $2.83 11.4%
Beekman $2.83 11.4%
Clinton $2.83 -32.9%
Dover $6.75 6.3%
East Fishkill $2.83 11.4%
Fishkill $2.83 11.4%
Hyde Park $6.16 9.0%
LaGrange $2.83 11.4%
Milan $2.83 11.4%
North East $3.06 11.3%
Pawling $8.59 6.4%
Pine Plains $7.92 9.1%
Pleasant Valley $5.45 3.0%
Town of Poughkeepsie $2.83 11.4%
Red Hook $2.83 11.4%
Rhinebeck $2.83 11.4%
Stanford $5.81 7.4%
Union Vale $2.83 11.4%
Wappinger $2.83 11.4%
Beacon $2.83 11.4%
City of Poughkeepsie $2.83 11.4%
Source: Dutchess County Real Property Tax Agency
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From http://www.dailyfreeman.com/articles/2009/12/29/news/doc4b396e1886474565547946.txt ...
Dutchess 6.52% tax levy hike OK'd
Published: Tuesday, December 29, 2009
By WILLIAM J. KEMBLE
Correspondent
POUGHKEEPSIE - Dutchess County lawmakers on Monday adopted a $100.78 million property tax levy with a 6.52 percent increase of $6.17 million.
The levy and accompanying tax rates were approved during a county Legislature meeting a week after it adopted a $400.89 million budget carrying a 1.09 percent increase of $4.33 million.
Northern Dutchess town tax rates per $1,000 assessed valuation for Red Hook, Rhinebeck, and Milan are $2.83 for an 11.42 percent increase of 29 cents; Hyde Park at $6.16 for a 9.03 percent increase of 51 cents; and Pine Plains at $7.92 for a 9.09 percent increase of 66 cents.
Approval of the levy in the 16-6 vote ended a month-long budget battle that had lawmakers overturn about $1.12 million in vetoes by Republican County Executive William Steinhaus but let $723,744 in cuts stand and remain locked in a court dispute over whether his authority extends to partial vetoes within spending lines accounting for another $1.04 million.
The majority Democrats, who have a 14-11 majority but will become the minority party at 18-7 in 2010, appeared to have reached an agreement with Republicans on Dec. 7 to overturn a total of $2.89 million in vetoes until the case was filed.
Majority Leader Sandra Goldberg, D-Wappingers Falls, during the debate over vetoes said Steinhaus has sought to work against having political parties cooperate during budget talks.
"This has been the County Executive's track record in the past," she said. "We worked very hard with the other side that the original vote was a bipartisan vote. Both sides came together. We had long discussions. We each gave in on some things and we each accepted things so we could move forward in a bipartisan way that we felt was best for the residents of Dutchess County."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/December09/29/DCL_taxlevy-29Dec09.html ...
Dutchess lawmakers meet for five minutes to set tax levy
POUGHKEEPSIE - Dutchess County lawmakers met for about five minutes Monday evening to vote on the tax levy for the county's 2010 budget.
Legislators voted against the $100.8 million levy, which will amount to about an 11 percent increase for most homeowners. Six legislators - four Republicans, one Democrat and one Conservative - voted against the levy.
The vote, during the brief Monday night session, ends a particularly contentious budget process, that saw the legislature spend several late nights debating the budget before restoring many cuts proposed by County Executive William Steinhaus, who then issued more than 100 vetoes. The legislature put in another long night overriding many of the vetoes. Some were sustained.
Legislature Chairman Roger Higgins ends his 19 year career on the legislature, saying that his tenure was very rewarding.
"I think it's important for all of us to give back to our community one way or another, whether it's in government, coaching kids in little league or soccer or working with our younger people in scouting, or on our library boards, it's important for all of us to contribute, to give back to the community," he said. "And that's what makes each of our communities all throughout the Hudson Valley so important and such a wonderful place to live."
Higgins, presided over the legislature during the four years the Democrats were the majority. He lost his reelection bid in November to Republican Joseph Incoronato. Even some Republicans wished Democrat Higgins well in his future endeavors.
The Republicans regained their traditional control in November, and will have a 'veto-proof' majority for the next two years.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
From http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/December09/28/Steinhaus_2010-28Dec09.html ...
Steinhaus expects at least one more year of belt tightening
POUGHKEEPSIE - Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus believes there won't be any economic turnaround in 2010. In fact, he thinks things won't start to get better for another year.
Steinhaus proposed in his county 2010 budget to cut funding to contract agencies and reduce services to taxpayers, said that will have to continue or else taxes will surely increase.
"We in county government have to learn how to plow snow more efficiently and effectively, and provide human services and health services and other work that we do with veterans and children and senior citizens, we just have to be smarter and lean as we do it," he said.
Steinhaus and the county legislature locked horns over spending this winter, with lawmakers overriding many of his vetoes.
The legislature has one final session scheduled tonight. Chairman Roger Higgins says he expects the meeting, called primarily to set the 2010 tax levy, to be very brief, unlike the marathon sessions earlier this month to wrap up the budget.
