Thank goodness that there are greater minds at work in Albany and other state houses --- that are working
to replace the property tax funding of public schools with either an income tax or  some other revenue source.

New York should take up the issue this year in the state legislature.  There are a number of states that have
already begun shifting the funding of public education from the property tax to the income tax.

Here is a thought -- approve drilling for gas in the Marcellus Shale and use the tax revenues from that to
offset the property tax for public education.

I heard that they were just going to make the Dems pay their back taxes.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Charter schools TAKE public money but are NOT accountable to the voters.   -- so either make them
accountable to the voters or defund them

Most school districts in the state (except city ones)  serve a number of municipalites and are NOT under
the jurisdiction of any of those municipalities --- they answer to the voters and the state education department.

Keeping the current property tax system does not guarantee a successful outcome.  In fact, it pretty much
guarantees that failure in less affluent areas.     At least by funding it through the state income tax -- and
guaranteeing  equal spending per pupil in EVERY district across the state  ... there would be some hop of
improving educational outcomes     AND ...  it would provide a level playing field for teacher salaries ... no more  "rich districts" vs. "poor districts" vying for who can pay their teachers more.

Is that what your high pensioned taxpayer funded union auntie said....because you know dang will those overpaid teachers are only interested in fatter salaries and increased pensions no matter how it hurts the taxpayers and no matter who goes homeless for inability to pay taxes.  

Ignoring the ignorant slug who insults a person who worked hard all her life and contributed to her own
retirement fund and who deosn't post here ... and is also a private citizen  - so if continued personal attacks
are made will sue he-she back into the stone ages,    let's return to the issue of how to reduce taxes in New York State,

Under the current system of financing public education, about half of the average school district's budget already comes from State Aid to Education - which means it comes out of the State General Fund that is mostly financed through state income tax.    The other half of the average school district's budget comes from the archaic and onerous medieval invention - property tax.    The average property owner in New York pays half of their total annual property tax bill to the local school district.    By transferring the funding of education from property tax to the state income tax, the average New York property owner would IMMEDIATELY see a 50% cut in their total annual property tax bill.    

Property taxes are a regressive tax which unduly small businesses, family run farms and homeowners on a fixed income.   High property taxes scare away developers and larger business and industry.    Eliminating the local property tax for education would give IMMEDIATE tax relief to all property owners, strengthen the position of small business owners and family farmers, and encourage developers and larger businesses to invest in New York State.

It is a win-win-win-win-win strategy for EVERYONE.

Instead of taking the taxes out of my right pocket you're just telling the state instead of local government to take the money from our left pocket. Taxes are too high on every level in this state and that's why people are leaving to go to states which have lower taxes. NYS pays the highest per ca-pita tax for education in the country and what do they have to show for it. NYS has a very poor educational system and a whole bunch of rich teachers with a great pension and a real good health-care plan.

Quoted from Shadow

Instead of taking the taxes out of my right pocket you're just telling the state instead of local government to take the money from our left pocket. Taxes are too high on every level in this state and that's why people are leaving to go to states which have lower taxes. NYS pays the highest per ca-pita tax for education in the country and what do they have to show for it. NYS has a very poor educational system and a whole bunch of rich teachers with a great pension and a real good health-care plan.

A number of states are actually doing what I have suggested.   Maryland and Ohio finance part of their
public education directly through the state income tax.   Alaska finances public education completely through various taxes on the oil industry.  If we don't lead the way now on this issue - New York will be in even worse shape.

BTW --- by going to the income tax to finance public education --- renters and other non-property owning income producers would become part of the tax base paying for public education.    In the long run, it would be a lot less expensive per tax payer to pay for it through the state income tax then it is now through the
property tax.

Oh -- and New York public education system may have problems with in some areas .. but I would hardly rate it as a poor system ...... go to Arkansas and Alabama if you want to see poor educational systems.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

A number of states are actually doing what I have suggested.   Maryland and Ohio finance part of their
public education directly through the state income tax.   Alaska finances public education completely through various taxes on the oil industry.  If we don't lead the way now on this issue - New York will be in even worse shape.

BTW --- by going to the income tax to finance public education --- renters and other non-property owning income producers would become part of the tax base paying for public education.    In the long run, it would be a lot less expensive per tax payer to pay for it through the state income tax then it is now through the
property tax.

Oh -- and New York public education system may have problems with in some areas .. but I would hardly rate it as a poor system ...... go to Arkansas and Alabama if you want to see poor educational systems.

Then explain to me the billions of dollars with the lotto dept that goes for education......SHOW ME THE $$ TRAIL......they sold it
to you and everyone else and here we are having a dumbass conversation that supposedly was taken care of via NYS lotto dept....
again....SHOW ME THE $$ TRAIL....I bet it leads to someone's pocket.....

Quoted Text

BTW --- by going to the income tax to finance public education --- renters and other non-property owning income producers would become part of the tax base paying for public education.    In the long run, it would be a lot less expensive per tax payer to pay for it through the state income tax then it is now through the
property tax

single women with children that work low wage jobs ie:CNA's, housekeeping etc (and there are a host of other jobs like that) DONT PAY INCOME TAX...
they get it all back and then some throughout the year......baby's daddy no where to be found except to show up after a 'deal' to get some.....

the lotto money does go to education. But the lioin's share goes downstate. Just call and ask for their annual financial report and they will send it to you. They did me.

people who live in communities and pay property taxes in support of THEIR school district, will not be so readily welcoming of the idea of sales tax being distributed equally among ALL schools in the state. I believe that they will not want their money paying for someone else's kids education on the other end of the state with no input from the 'taxpayer'.

And why should people in schenectady pay for buffalo's newly passed budget that they have no control over. Schools are a reflection of their community. Equalizing school funding will never change that.

I agree with obama and cuomo that charter schools are the only way to go.....both financially and for the kids. There will then be a choice AND there will still be oversight b the state. And each resident can still have the option of deciding what is best or if there is a need in their community for a charter school. If a charter school is an option, then it should be offered to 'the people'.

And as charter schools grow, there will be less kids in the public schools, which resonates smaller classrooms. It's a win/win!IMHO

Quoted from senders

Then explain to me the billions of dollars with the lotto dept that goes for education......SHOW ME THE $$ TRAIL......they sold it
to you and everyone else and here we are having a dumbass conversation that supposedly was taken care of via NYS lotto dept....
again....SHOW ME THE $$ TRAIL....I bet it leads to someone's pocket.....

New York State Lottery had  $2.1 billion in NET revenue ..... the total State spending on public education was
$21.9 billion.   The figures I found do not indicate whether all of that net revenue was used for public education or not.

The lottery was never intended to cover the total cost of public education in New York State.

As for the lottery selling it to me, I was like 3 or 4 years old when the lottery was created -- so I can assure
you that I had NOTHING to do with creating the lottery in New York.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

New York State Lottery had  $2.1 billion in NET revenue ..... the total State spending on public education was
$21.9 billion.   The figures I found do not indicate whether all of that net revenue was used for public education or not.

The lottery was never intended to cover the total cost of public education in New York State.

As for the lottery selling it to me, I was like 3 or 4 years old when the lottery was created -- so I can assure
you that I had NOTHING to do with creating the lottery in New York.

putting public schools on income tax support is Robin Hood.....The lotto was to aid in the public schools....so you still didn't answer

Quoted from senders

putting public schools on income tax support is Robin Hood.....The lotto was to aid in the public schools....so you still didn't answer

I answered the question.   The lottery was NEVER intended to fund 100% of the cost of public education.   It was intended to help pay for part of the cost of public education.  Its net revenue is about 10% covers about 10%of the State Aid to public school districts.   The sources I checked don't confirm whether all of the net revenue is transferred over to pay the State Aid to public schools -- so best guess -- it covers less than 1/10th what the state budgets for public education -- and that covers about 1/2 the cost of our state's public schools.  
4/5 of what the state budgets for public education comes from other state revenues including the income tax .. again ---- about 50% of the cost of the state's public schools is paid from the local school district's property tax collection.    
Paying for public education through the state income tax with an offset coming from lottery revenues and other state revenue sources -- would  CUT EVERY PROPERTY OWNER"S TAX BILL IN HALF.   That would provide an incentive for individuals and businesses to invest in their properties without fear of their property taxes going through the roof.
It is a win-win-win-win......

Quoted from senders

putting public schools on income tax support is Robin Hood.....The lotto was to aid in the public schools....so you still didn't answer

Like I said before, most lotto money goes down state. To equalize school funding through income tax is a very dangerous road to take. Fluctuations in the economy would hit the school hard during economic down turns.

Equalizing school funding will never fly. People in Long Island are not going to want their money going to schenectady or visa versa. Individual communities are just that......individual. They should and will want to have control over their kids school system.

It won't fly!

Obama and cuomo are correct in supporting and promoting charter schools.

April 1998

To the People of the State of New York:

This report addresses an issue that is almost always the subject of a question when I meet with New Yorkers: "Isn't lottery money supposed to provide extra aid for education?"

The answer, as with anything involving government accounting and budgets, is complex. Lottery receipts are indeed deposited into a special fund, and that fund is used for education. In reality, however, the lottery is simply part of the pool of resources that is divided among various competing needs in the state budget process. This report, for example, documents past budget actions that simultaneously increased lottery receipts and yet reduced support for education.

When the lottery was approved in the early 1960s, the public was promised that it would support education. Implied in that promise was that the lottery would add to state aid, rather than merely replace it. Even today, a new lottery advertising campaign perpetuates the myth that schools receive additional resources from the lottery. The truth is that the Legislature and Governor decide how much state aid will go to local schools and the amount from the lottery is just a small part of that total. Lottery money has never supplemented state aid; it doesn't today and it likely never will.

In New York, as in many other states, lottery earnings have been earmarked for education primarily as a public relations device. The opposition that arises from the use of gambling proceeds to fund government services is deflected by pointing to the worthy purpose that the lottery funds.

The lottery accounts for a relatively small share of state resources directed to education, and it is unlikely that any budget practice could be devised that would ensure that the lottery would provide additional support. The creativity used to balance past budgets would certainly be used to thwart any such measure.

The real debate in school finance should focus on whether our school aid system is equitable and efficient. I have issued a series of reports over the past two years that document serious problems with the state's education financing policies and suggested reforms to address them.

Sincerely,

H. Carl McCall,
State Comptroller

YUP!!!!....BEND OVER....WE TOOK IT,,,,,,,,,AGAIN!!!!

so now I'm going to trust them with my income tax???? my hard earned money???? what happens when the unemployment rate rises??? is there a
school 'fee' collected from that????

honestly there will be a guaranteed gap stop and it will NEVER go away.....