Reducing property taxes
Assemblywoman Sandra Galef, D-Ossining, says the state should take over health care costs for school employees to help alleviate the property tax crisis.
Under the plan, school employees would be included in the Empire Plan used by other state civil servants. This would enlarge the pool of insured and thus decrease costs, Galef said. School districts and local taxpayers would benefit, she said.
Health care costs are among the four highest non-discretionary costs school districts face, according to the New York State School Boards Association.
In 2005-2006, school districts in the state paid a total $3.7 billion on health care for employees, or 15.3 percent of the total spent on education.
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Who will pay for this. All you are doing is shifting the taxes from one
sourse to another. How is this going to lower are taxes.
All you are doing is pandering
If you truly want to lower our property taxes, and believe your plan will work, will you propose it to the state assembly for a vote in the special session in August?
Too Little.- Too Late
Finally! A good idea and a move in the right direction! Long overdue but welcome nonetheless.
This shift will equalize the health care coverage across public employees – something the teachers will surely hate – but something that will save the taxpayers money by lowering the cost of healthcare for the currently employed and those who are retired. Praise Jesus. Get this passed and the cost of healthcare for school districts will be reduced 15-20%.
Then we can work on retirement benefits and make the school employees become part of the New York State Retirements System and do away with the separate Teacher’s retirements system. Again, the union will fight tooth and nail but please! We need some relief from these oppressive taxes!
Now! Good job Galef. Now take this to the mat.
This plan is a good idea. But she has a track record of talking about things and not following through when she gets to Albany. The time for talking is over. The time for action is now.
We will see what she does with this.
What happened to the other tax plan Galef had? Now she supports other issues instead???????? She is supporting the Tax Cap…which gives free rein for districts to raise taxes 4% plus add on additional expenses for special ed, transportation and capital expenses. Taxes will be higher.
Many districts have joined together to form a large group with their local boces and use the empire plan. Joining with the state may lower the premiums a little.