School union weighs in on tax cap
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- July
- 23
  New York State United Teachers are striking out in an expensive way at proposals to implement a 4 percent annual cap in the growth of school property taxes. The union, which has about 600,000 members, is against a tax cap and instead favors a plan that would provide relief to homeowners whose property values exceed their ability to pay. It’s known as a circuit-breaker tax. Â
  The union is spending $350,000 for a two-week television and radio ad campaign to describe just how much its members oppose the 4 percent cap on school taxes, which has been endorsed by Gov. David Paterson, a Democrat, and newly elected Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Nassau County. The Assembly, led by Democrats, is not in favor of the the measure. Skelos said this week he plans to call the Senate back into session to vote on a cap, even if there is no agreement with the Senate.
  The ad initially will air in the Capital Region (we heard it this morning on a local radio station here) and on Long Island. It may be expanded statewide.
  The spot, called “No Foolin’,†features a senior citizen who says a “so-called tax cap is nothing but a gimmick. Its one-size-fits-all approach for school funding takes away local control. My taxes will still go up. And deep cuts to school programs will hurt our kids.†She then says a circuit breaker would help seniors and middle-class families. (A circuit breaker would hold property taxes to a percentage of household income.)
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on Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008 at 1:11 pm by Cara Matthews.
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Isn’t the Circuit Breaker bill the one that Assemblywoman Sandra Galef proposed. Since the teachers union supports it, it is a big reason why peoe should not vote for her this year.
Circuit Breaker will not work.