There are multiple levels of problems. the first is affordability. Property taxes in upstate NY are the higest as a percentage of value in the nation. School taxes are 2/3 of total taxes. Teachers are starting at 50K for 9 months work and often don't contribute to their own health care. 75% of school budgets go for salaries and benefits...the kids get the leftovers. The state should pay for this, not local taxpayers.
Assessemnt revaluations, where they may fairly reflect value, drive taxes sky high BECAUSE the taxing jurisdictions continue to spend the money. When the rate stays the same but the assessment goes up 20%...your toast.\
Solutions:
Residential property should not pay school taxes...it is ttoo regressive and not based on the ability to actually pay them. Your home is held hostage. It is leased from the government. Schools should be paid by a consumptive or earnings based system (income and/or sales tax) It spreads the burden to a broader base of potential income...not just property owners....the circuit breaker legislation does not go far enough and is primarily geard to downstate howmowners.
Commercial property can continue to be appraised andd pay based on the assessed value IF the state closes the loopholes for their lawyer buddies to continually sue towns over property value for ridicuous reasons.
the school aid formuala neds to be evamped so upstate schools get a greater distribution of state aid. Currently our tax rates are twicve as high as downstate and our schools are poorer because we don't have comparable wealth or property value, the two main components of the state aid formula. If you dont redo the formula and make it fair, not politically driven, then the school tax must be withdrawn completely from the property tax equation.
Get rid of all the represnetatives that have been aprt of this nightmare for the last 15 years. they have proven they have no insight, no vision, no management skill.
AARRRGGHH!!! to all of them.
