State Spending Cuts Spawn Property Tax Hikes
From the Asbury Park Press:
Schools asking for more from local taxpayers
Almost a month after Gov. Corzine announced a state budget plan including $1.5 billion in new taxes, school boards across the state this week will ask voters to approve property tax levies that would rise an average of 7.6 percent.
Proposed local tax levies for the 549 school districts that have elections Tuesday total $10.5 billion — up $745 million from current levels. And that doesn't include debt service, the 53 tax-levying districts in which the public doesn't get a vote, or more than $33 million in added taxes that 57 districts seek through extra questions for things such as courtesy busing, renovations and specific teaching staff or programs.
Because of years of little or no increases in state aid, school districts are relying more on local taxpayers to fund public education.
"We're at the point in time where if the system's not broken, we're in dire straits," said Jerry Cantrell of Randolph, a former school board president who formed a tax reform group.
...
"It seems to be yet another year where the state aid has been stagnant, and it puts the pressure on property taxes," Yaple said. "Home and business owners end up paying more."
Schools asking for more from local taxpayers
Almost a month after Gov. Corzine announced a state budget plan including $1.5 billion in new taxes, school boards across the state this week will ask voters to approve property tax levies that would rise an average of 7.6 percent.
Proposed local tax levies for the 549 school districts that have elections Tuesday total $10.5 billion — up $745 million from current levels. And that doesn't include debt service, the 53 tax-levying districts in which the public doesn't get a vote, or more than $33 million in added taxes that 57 districts seek through extra questions for things such as courtesy busing, renovations and specific teaching staff or programs.
Because of years of little or no increases in state aid, school districts are relying more on local taxpayers to fund public education.
"We're at the point in time where if the system's not broken, we're in dire straits," said Jerry Cantrell of Randolph, a former school board president who formed a tax reform group.
...
"It seems to be yet another year where the state aid has been stagnant, and it puts the pressure on property taxes," Yaple said. "Home and business owners end up paying more."
8 Comments:
Aaaahhh, shut up. People stop whining about your taxes going up. If I see another too damn old geezer senior "I want everything that is coming to me me" citizen, bitch about taxes I'll puke on them.
You pay high taxes because everyone wants to make believe they live in some small town in New England. Get over it, you live in a very congested urbanized state. So if you have a small town structure, it is going to be expensive & inefficient - just like it is now.
Create big legal towns with big populations, or let the county government do the job. Nothing explains it better then in Rockland County NY, right across the NJ border is the Town of Orange, is huge physically and in population, in the Bergen County NJ side, you have about 15 towns in the same physical space -- I'll bet you that Orange NY's taxes are a lower than any of the Bergen NJ side towns....
For all of those who voted for Corzine, this is what you get... no cuts for unions or even renegotiated union contracts... just more tax and spend.
For all of those who voted for Corzine, this is what you get... no cuts for unions or even renegotiated union contracts... just more tax and spend.
Hello, can you read at all ? Corzine has CUT spending to local governemnts. That is cutting spending. If the local government wants to increase taxes, complain to them. It seems like you just want to complain.
For 12 years, previous adminisrations -- both Democrat and Republican used gimmicks -- borrow and spend, raiding pension funds etc. Now the piper is finally coming due.
I myself didn't vote last time, but Corzine's budget is actually pretty conservative (from a fiscal standpoint). S&P increased the states debt rating after the budget came out.
Furthermore, Corzine is actually going to the Supreme Court to reduce funding for Abbott districts. ANd he has has reduced headcount as well.
Hello... can you read? Corzine has increased spending by 9% to a record of $30 billion...
Hello... can you read? Corzine has increased spending by 9% to a record of $30 billion...
Can you read and comprehend ? All of the spending increase is because of debt service (run up by previous administrations), increases in state aid and aid grants (almost all of which goes to court mandated aid or to property tax relief like the homestead relief). There is an additional half a billion dollars in the budget for Homestead property tax rebates. Another big chunk are Medicaid increases
Undoubtedly there are room for further cuts, but I have to give Corzine credit for at least trying, which is more than Whitman or McGreevey did. THe easy step would be to run up further debt or raid the pension fund again.
As long as teachers union controls the democratic party, NJ is doomed. More taxes and then more taxes.
Corzine should reduce the union jobs as they are the problem and do something about the liberal unelected judges who makes the spending decisions.
Anyway, Corzine did raise taxes so people got what they deserved. Democracy rules.
Anyway, Corzine did raise taxes so people got what they deserved.
Indeed, for putting up with politicians (both demo and republican) for 12 years who told us there was a free lunch, that we could borrow and raid transportation and pension funds cut taxes. That is what led to the current situation.
Besides, the tax increase is actually pretty conservative -- no increase in income taxes. Sales taxes did go up, but clothing, food etc. are already exempt from this tax.
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