Taxes.....RANT!

[G-Man]

They're doing it again here in beautiful Greenburgh, NY.

Greenburgh Central Schools - 7 (G-7 for short) consists of 4 different schools in 3 different locations.  They want to combine all the schools into one location as a consolidation effort.  However, only in gov't does consolidation equate to higher costs.  To dramatically demonstrate how a$$ backwards this whole thing is, the consolidation is estimated to cost each homeowners over $1,000 for the next 20 years.  (remember, that would be $1,000 to start with a 3% increase every year, forever, because taxes only go up and never go away in NY.)

This school district is already the most expensive in the county spending over $40,000 per kid per year.  It's $8,000 more expensive than the next most expensive system.  However, all the tools we use to measure effectiveness puts the school district below average. 

And this garbage is happening just after we had a town wide tax reassessment because so many people were grieving.  When the dust settled, the town adopted a plan to phase in the increase of taxes for those whose tax bill went up, but therefore phased in the decrease for those whose tax bill went down.  So those who were overpaying all along had to still continue overpaying a little longer.  And it turned out that those receiving high tax increases after the assessment scammed the system by upgrading their homes and not filing the work with the town. 

It's insanity I tell you.  Seriously thinking about leaving.  This "new" school tax will cost me over $20,000 if I stay here until I retire. 

[Rams]

Seriously thinking about leaving.  This "new" school tax will cost me over $20,000 if I stay here until I retire. 

I think you already know the answer.....   

Rams

[sandy]

The NYC area has some of the highest taxes in the nation. I left NY in '67 and have been back for visits but would never live near there again.

[3fan4life]

I have a brother that has been a school teacher for over 20 yrs.

Apparently, the mindset among educators is that the more money a school system has the better that it is.

And no matter how much money that they have it's NEVER enough.


Ironically, they don't seem to apply the same logic to their assessment of private schools.

The mindset there is that private schools have too much money and are never good enough.


I have came to the conclusion that the public school system is irreparably broken.

[Jess from VA]

I have came to the conclusion that the public school system is irreparably broken.

I've come to the conclusion that after you get thousands of politicians, boards, counsels, panels, committees of Federal, State, and local G's involved, they screw up every single thing they touch.  And the more they touch it, the more they screw it up.  And it's all 5-15 times the cost it should be.

I love the idea and theory of our democratic republic and constitution, but I have lately begin to think we could do MUCH better if we fired them all and went to a benevolent dictatorship.

And a straight 10 percent to the fed, and 5 percent to the state, no local taxes, and they all just learn to live with it.

See the writing on the wall:  https://www.apnews.com/c1272df136f34a54b6faeacebedb7d7b 

[Pete]

A superior top ranked private high school here is only in the $20,000 range for day students and $40,000 for boarding students.

NY is screwing you royally and delivering crap.

Similar here with public schools - expensive and crap.

Should be considered child abuse to send a child to public schools.

[Willow]

..., but I have lately begin to think we could do MUCH better if we fired them all and went to a benevolent dictatorship.
...

A benevolent dictatorship is indeed the best, most efficient, form of government.  The problem is the extreme shortage of benevolent dictators.  

[Gavin_Sons]

A superior top ranked private high school here is only in the $20,000 range for day students and $40,000 for boarding students.

NY is screwing you royally and delivering crap.

Similar here with public schools - expensive and crap.

Should be considered child abuse to send a child to public schools.

I send my kids to public school. Am i considered a child abuser?

[Pete]

A superior top ranked private high school here is only in the $20,000 range for day students and $40,000 for boarding students.

NY is screwing you royally and delivering crap.

Similar here with public schools - expensive and crap.

Should be considered child abuse to send a child to public schools.

I send my kids to public school. Am i considered a child abuser?

If your schools are like the public schools here and in NY, then yes.
If the shoe fits wear it! or change it.

[John Schmidt]

Yup, good example of separate to conquer is where I worked before retirement. I worked for the state of Florida for 30 yrs. and some of the stuff that came down from Tallahassee was laughable. During my last 3 yrs. with them, our regional hotshot boss convinced Tally that separating the single office into two made more sense and offered better coverage to the taxpayers. The only people that it benefitted were those of us that lived closer to the new office location, but as for cost.....HA! Went sky high. (as a matter of reference, our regional boss fell into the category of "buy him for what he's really worth and sell him for what he thinks he's worth) That would have at least paid for the increase in operating costs.

Due to cost increase of the second office, they lived out the lease period and rejoined the original location. Since I had the dubious honor of reviewing costs at various times, I made some suggestions re. the closure and only operating one office again. To noone's surprise, it was all ignored and the single office was now in full operation again but with the added benefit(?) of now the costs being nearly the same as it was when operating two separate offices. When asked to serve on an advisory panel I laughed....then handed the folks in charge the papers I'd written at the beginning with suggestions that were ignored. When asked why I didn't feel obligated to serve, I simply told the "powers that be" that they need to listen to those of us with REAL experience in field work, not experience from behind a desk over 250 miles away. I then walked out of the room, retired a month later....on my terms. I had found out from some personal contacts in Tallahassee that a new computer program was coming down the pike in a couple months and wa already having problems but was being issued anyway. Since I had gone through all that mess more than once in previous years with other software, I wanted no part of the new system. Fellow workers months later told me it was a smart move on my part, especially the gal that got my old job....it had her pulling her hair out. The program was finally ditched and the prior one put back in place for another 2-3 years. Idiots!

[Pete]

..., but I have lately begin to think we could do MUCH better if we fired them all and went to a benevolent dictatorship.
...

A benevolent dictatorship is indeed the best, most efficient, form of government.  The problem is the extreme shortage of benevolent dictators.  

I can qualify for that! And am willing to do it!

[Gavin_Sons]

i understand you think taxes are out of control and i would have to agree. But to claim people are child abusers just for sending their kids to a public school is ridiculous. Ever think some may not have any other opportunities to send their kids somewhere else? Just because you may be able to afford private school does not mean others can afford it. Here our schools are great. Our private schools are the ones that are lacking. We have a big lutheran school in town and they say the kids that go to the high school from that school are 2 grades behind in math and 3 grades behind in english.

[old2soon]

        I M H O those in "charge" of gubmint money care NOT how much anything is whether or not it werx and if don't work order another something raise taxes and do er again. No come uppence when-NOT IF-they screw up. Has Anyone EVER heard a gubmint official or a board-pick a board-member ever say I screwed up hold me accountable?  YEAH-me either.  RIDE SAFE.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

The south is full of Yankee's because of the taxes ( and winter's ) what's one more and a good one at that.... Bring It Let's Ride 

[Pete]

i understand you think taxes are out of control and i would have to agree. But to claim people are child abusers just for sending their kids to a public school is ridiculous. Ever think some may not have any other opportunities to send their kids somewhere else? Just because you may be able to afford private school does not mean others can afford it. Here our schools are great. Our private schools are the ones that are lacking. We have a big lutheran school in town and they say the kids that go to the high school from that school are 2 grades behind in math and 3 grades behind in english.

If your schools are great you do not have the problem, if your schools suck why would you support them by sending your kid - that is child abuse - course you could fix the problem then it would not be child abuse or you could home school.

And yes I know that some feel like they do not have a choice - they do  - move the kids or fix the problem or home school.

Yeah we do not agree - that is ok  - we do not have to and yes I feel sorry for the kids when the parents do not step up and do what they can.  And yes I pay my school taxes every year and it is mostly a waste of money. I never begrudged school taxes until I observed the waste, fraud and stupidity of some school systems. It is a crime again the kids and it is child abuse.

And yes it makes me mad to see money going down that rat hole and the kids getting very little in return.

[G-Man]

The south is full of Yankee's because of the taxes ( and winter's ) what's one more and a good one at that.... Bring It Let's Ride 

Southern Style!

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

The south is full of Yankee's because of the taxes ( and winter's ) what's one more and a good one at that.... Bring It Let's Ride 

Southern Style!

Great picture

[Skinhead]

The south is full of Yankee's because of the taxes ( and winter's ) what's one more and a good one at that.... Bring It Let's Ride 

The black socks and Jesus shoes manufacturers gotta love it!