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Siena Poll: More New Yorkers Support Circuit Breaker Than A Property Tax Cap

by: robert.harding

Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 11:08:29 AM EDT

There is more from the Siena Poll released today to talk about but in terms of issues affecting our state, this is probably the biggest.

The circuit breaker, which would cap property taxes at a certain percentage of the homeowner's income, is supported by 75 percent of New Yorkers according to the Siena Poll. That is equal to the support the circuit breaker had in July when 75 percent of New Yorkers also supported it. Only 18 percent of those surveyed oppose the circuit breaker with 7 percent not knowing their view on the circuit breaker.

To learn more about the circuit breaker, visit the Working Families Party tax plan calculator website.

The property tax cap did not enjoy that much support in the Siena Poll. The property tax cap is supported by Governor David Paterson and the Senate Republicans pushed through the tax cap in a recent special session. According to the Siena Poll, only 66 percent of New Yorkers support a property tax cap. In June, the property tax cap polled at 74 percent and last month the property tax cap came in at 69 percent.

In response to the poll, Dan Cantor of the Working Families Party had this to say:

"It's gratifying to see that voters are choosing circuit-breaker tax relief over a school funding cap as a solution to the property tax problem, exactly the message that we have been sending with our "Wrong Answer" ad and mail campaign. More than 14,000 voters have called or written to Albany in response and said the same thing: solve our property tax problem without hurting our schools."

The circuit breaker is and has been the better plan for New York. The circuit breaker is a "tax cap" in its own right but it's a tax cap that won't hurt schools and our education system but rather would cap taxes as a percentage of your income. That is a very "user friendly" way of taxing. Taxing based on your ability to pay should be a great method to utilize to stop the crunch on our middle class.

robert.harding :: Siena Poll: More New Yorkers Support Circuit Breaker Than A Property Tax Cap

Tags: Siena Poll, Governor David Paterson, Property Tax Cap, circuit breaker, New York State, (All Tags)

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Siena Poll: More New Yorkers Support Circuit Breaker Than A Property Tax Cap | 3 comments

It makes sense, of course. (4.00 / 1)

But it makes no demands of school districts, many of which I am convinced have plenty of fat to cut over and above that which they cry their crocodile tears over every budget season. Case in point - school buses. They're built to last, yet districts feel ten years is long enough to go before replacing them. Is there some kind of bus lobby out there demanding that they get to sell X new buses every year? I mean, come on. These things have heavy-duty diesel engines in them. They're built on heavy truck chassis. The seats are even removable for easy replacement, if that's the problem.

While control of tax rates is a good start, we really need to address WHY property taxes are going up every year to begin with. Of course, that means pissing off the NY United Teachers, and we can't do that because they're soooooooooo farking powerful. Right. It's just been awhile since anyone took them on. When was the last time their endorsement actually got anyone elected? Seriously. I want to know.

by: Steaming Pile @ Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 17:39:20 PM UTC

School districts and taxes (4.00 / 1)

Every year, my school district asks that taxpayers votes for the purchase of more buses. So I can see your point on the buses. I always vote against the purchase of new buses because some of these buses aren't going far. We have buses that pick up and drop off kids within a few blocks of the school. I remember when I was younger, I had friends that lived within blocks of the school that walked to school. It seems we have fewer and fewer walkers and more and more buses.

I don't think we can look solely at the schools though in the whole property tax debate. The local municipalities and county governments always complain about so-called "unfunded mandates." However, I have seen what these county governments do with property taxes and what they spend their money on. That needs to be addressed.

by: robert.harding @ Mon Aug 18, 2008 at 18:30:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Agree, but schools are a huge chunk (0.00 / 0)

To me, the framing of the discussion is always entirely wrong. It is not about which programs to cut, it is about how to combat wasteful and corrupt practices throughout the programs. The lawyers who were collecting multiple pensions for working part-time for school districts, the sweetheart procurement deals (and, yeah, school districts AND municipalities seem to be always buying new equipment), the union-influenced contracts that have obscure benies for retirees that are far richer than regular taxpayers get....

Nobody wants to cut program, that makes no sense. But, our Albany culture has meant that there are institutional cultures at the departmental and local levels that take for granted certain practices that the public knows are wrong and expensive. To me, that is a lot of where support for a tax cap comes from-- not wanting to starve schools for funds or keep taxation regressive, but, rather an urge to draw a line in the sand about these practices, which have gone unchecked in NY ever since anybody can remember. Sounds weird, but I think that some of the root of support for a tax cap is a crying need for governmental reform and "housecleaning."

by: robinia @ Tue Aug 19, 2008 at 14:17:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]