Here is where our taxes go for Education

[nyantler]

I noticed that once all the facts and personal experience stories started coming out in some of the posts here... the old "teachers are underpayed and overworked" activists got a bit quiet... its so hard to argue against the facts. Teachers are an important part of the community and deserve to make a good living... but anyone that doesn't see how out of control things haven't gotten has to be either blind or ignorant.... oh no .. there's that word again!

[Geno C]

I noticed that once all the facts and personal experience stories started coming out in some of the posts here... the old "teachers are underpayed and overworked" activists got a bit quiet... its so hard to argue against the facts. Teachers are an important part of the community and deserve to make a good living... but anyone that doesn't see how out of control things haven't gotten has to be either blind or ignorant.... oh no .. there's that word again!

totally agree... i love using that word lol

[wooffer]

It seems that when corporations get "greedy" people don't like it, but when teachers do it they say it is "for the kids". Greed is greed no matter who is doing it. My future retirement is gone to taxes, my kids potentail future college fund has gone to taxes. So a teacher will have a real hard time justifying why my schools $33,000.- cost per student is "for the kids".

[sits in trees]

I fight and personally represent myself in small claims court every year to reduce my taxes. Still my school taxes where $4,800.00 a year in 1999 and now in 2012 they are $8,200.00.

That is just the school portion not my whole tax bill. If the increases keep up at that rate, myself and everyone else on LI (except teachers and cops) will be forced to sell our homes and leave them. Not sure who will buy them or where we will go.

well woofer the where to go part is what really gets me. why is it other states like the Carolinas you can own a great home on a great piece of hunting land and have well educated kids all for a total tax bill of around 1500.00 bucks including town. im not a big fan of florida but my mother in law lives in a beautiful home in a gated comunity worth about 350 thousand and her total tax bill is 1300 bucks??

NY teachers will give you the ole quality of a NY education thing but these kids from other states do graduate and do go to good colleges and dont all end up in trailer parks the way they will have you thinking. we have other states in the country where you can still own a beautiful home and get your kids a great public school education for alittle over 1000 bucks total town and school tax bill. how did the northeast education system become such a monstrosity?

[sits in trees]

heres a story of a poor LI fella who ran to New Hampshire to escape the high taxes. it seems to be a northeast United States thing. and New Hampshire is the "Live Free or Die state" Huh?

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20101205-NEWS-12050330

[nyantler]

New York is the Empire State and that is exactly how it is run.. like an empire..LOL.. everything flows upward instead of down.

[wooffer]

_{Parents don't get it, everytime they vote "yes" for "the kids", they are actually voting "NO" for their future. People on LI are complaining because their kids can't afford housing on LI and are forced to leave. Well wake up idiot parents, you created the mess with all your "yes" votes. The school boards would have never given away our money on teachers salaries if they didn't have it in the first place.}

[Karpteach]

I noticed that once all the facts and personal experience stories started coming out in some of the posts here... the old "teachers are underpayed and overworked" activists got a bit quiet... its so hard to argue against the facts. Teachers are an important part of the community and deserve to make a good living... but anyone that doesn't see how out of control things haven't gotten has to be either blind or ignorant.... oh no .. there's that word again!

I do not agree! In a classroom you cannot give up on a student that does not want to listen to reason! In the world outside the classroom, you just give up! The reality is folks, go to school for 6-8 years, pass 4 state exams, and interview in competition against many... Become a teacher! Ooohhh yeah! Start paying 60-100 thousand back to school loans! Quoting some of my students "ain't nobody stopping you!

[Pav2704]

I do not agree! In a classroom you cannot give up on a student that does not want to listen to reason! In the world outside the classroom, you just give up! The reality is folks, go to school for 6-8 years, pass 4 state exams, and interview in competition against many... Become a teacher! Ooohhh yeah! Start paying 60-100 thousand back to school loans! Quoting some of my students "ain't nobody stopping you!

Couldn't agree more with you Karpteach. Unfortunately, it's a lot easier for some to complain about what they don't have than to actually do something about it!! Definately seems like that's the trend society is taking today!!!

[Deerthug]

Many are complaining about their taxes increasing so much over a short period of time and blaming it on teacher pensions or salaries. However, I haven't seen any mention if those whose taxes increased did work to their house. That would most definitely increase their taxes. I don't mean interior renovations, I mean exterior dormers or anything that causes you to go outside the main footprint of your home like blowing out a room here or there to increase the overall sq ft of your home. That will definitely increase both your school and town/county taxes. I've seen it first hand from neighbors who are wondering why they're paying more than me on same plot size. I ask them did you forget about the construction crew and mess out front of your home for 3 months last year? I get "oh yeah" in response.

I've been living in my home for 20 years and started out paying about $5500 in town and school taxes combined. As of 2012 it is just about $10k on about 1/4 acre land. I've done lots of work to my house interior but never went outside the footprint. Over 20 years my taxes went up about $5k. That's an average of $250.00 a year. From when I bought my house in 1992 to the present I've seen property assessment values go up and down all depending on the state of the real estate market at the time. Do I think I'm paying too much compared to other states? Yes. But i never grieved them because it's a double edged sword if you do. I've seen people grieve them and get some minimal reduction. But then the next year or so they get reassessed and the taxes have gone higher than before thereby losing any benefit they may have gained from the prior grievance and they're out the amount they paid to the company they hired.

[Dave]

Many are complaining about their taxes increasing so much over a short period of time and blaming it on teacher pensions or salaries. However, I haven't seen any mention if those whose taxes increased did work to their house. That would most definitely increase their taxes. I don't mean interior renovations, I mean exterior dormers or anything that causes you to go outside the main footprint of your home like blowing out a room here or there to increase the overall sq ft of your home. That will definitely increase both your school and town/county taxes. I've seen it first hand from neighbors who are wondering why they're paying more than me on same plot size. I ask them did you forget about the construction crew and mess out front of your home for 3 months last year? I get "oh yeah" in response.

I've been living in my home for 20 years and started out paying about $5500 in town and school taxes combined. As of 2012 it is just about $10k on about 1/4 acre land. I've done lots of work to my house interior but never went outside the footprint. Over 20 years my taxes went up about $5k. That's an average of $250.00 a year. From when I bought my house in 1992 to the present I've seen property assessment values go up and down all depending on the state of the real estate market at the time. Do I think I'm paying too much compared to other states? Yes. But i never grieved them because it's a double edged sword if you do. I've seen people grieve them and get some minimal reduction. But then the next year or so they get reassessed and the taxes have gone higher than before thereby losing any benefit they may have gained from the prior grievance and they're out the amount they paid to the company they hired.

You got that right. My taxes were $5600 when I bought my house in 1999 and they are just over $13,800 not counting my homeowners insurance that makes it over $15000. How much tax is enough? I live in a Cape Cod type house not a mansion. Like I have said before my taxes have gone up over $300 a month and there is nothing I can do about it. When the market picks up I will put it up for sale. Not because of crime, bad neighbors, bad neighborhood but School taxes will force us to move eventually. Notice when the teacher next door retires they move and we are lift to pay their pension and benefits. Edited March 10, 2012 by Dave

[88GW]

Thought this was interesting. Shows how much items have gone up in price over the years.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/12/29/then-vs-now-how-prices-have-changed-since-1999/

Edited March 10, 2012 by 88GW

[Dave]

Thought this was interesting. Shows how much items have gone up in price over the years.

http://www.dailyfina...ged-since-1999/

The difference is that most things on the list we have a choice to pay the price or not. School taxes we have no choice we must pay if you are a homeowner. As far as salaries and benefits go the school systems on Long Island have surpassed the private sector. There are companies who give raises that are not added to your base salary just to keep pension costs down. It's a mix of variable pay and regular yearly increases. So an employee may get a $5000 raise for the year but only $2000 may be added to base salary going toward their pension not the entire $5000. Same with health benefits the company pays a set amount and any increases are paid the employee. Why can't the school districts impliment this type of cost savings for the tax payers?

[nyantler]

I do not agree! In a classroom you cannot give up on a student that does not want to listen to reason! In the world outside the classroom, you just give up! The reality is folks, go to school for 6-8 years, pass 4 state exams, and interview in competition against many... Become a teacher! Ooohhh yeah! Start paying 60-100 thousand back to school loans! Quoting some of my students "ain't nobody stopping you!

I went to school for 4 years , paid back tens of thousands in loans and work for myself... and have never taken a penny of taxpayer dollars to pay my salary, health benefits, or retirement... nobody here is saying that teachers aren't valuable... but try and deny that they have a part time job... make better money than the average full time job in the private sector, have better health benefits and a better retirement than the average private sector job.. and all of it comes from tax payers who are fed up with paying crazy taxes and getting little return on their investment... you must have missed all the examples that have been given of how out of whack things are... again your comments are spoken like a true teacher... and a good example of why things are like they are.. because you just refuse to see things for the way they really are... most of these posts aren't about our opinions of what's going on.. it's about the facts and what is really going on.

[wooffer]

I do not agree! In a classroom you cannot give up on a student that does not want to listen to reason! In the world outside the classroom, you just give up! The reality is folks, go to school for 6-8 years, pass 4 state exams, and interview in competition against many... Become a teacher! Ooohhh yeah! Start paying 60-100 thousand back to school loans! Quoting some of my students "ain't nobody stopping you!

The reality is that one should NOT be required to get a masters to teach. You can thank the teachers union for pushing that one through the board of ed. None of the teachers that taught myself and most on here had a masters degree or needed one. Talk to your union and have albany change the policy.

Irregardless you would incur college tuition no matter what you field you went into. Expecting the public to re-pay your debt with our childrens saving is not just wrong it is immoral. I could almost accept the 6 figure salaries but paying for someone elses retirement (pension) is just un-ethical. It is a form of spreading the wealth (even though most of us are NOT wealthy) and in reality it is communism.

[wooffer]

Couldn't agree more with you Karpteach. Unfortunately, it's a lot easier for some to complain about what they don't have than to actually do something about it!! Definately seems like that's the trend society is taking today!!!

You have a lot of balls. EASY! EASY! I work two jobs to pay my school taxes. I give up seeing my children grow up and give up any chance of setting money aside for myself or them one day. The only thing worse than the greed that has taken over our school system, is the ignorance displayed by the ilk that calls themselves teachers here on LI.

[nyantler]

Think about it... the schools get Federal, State and Local money (taxes collected by each entity) and the teachers unions decide how the money is dispersed... ie. the salaries, benefits and retirements... we are led to believe that the money goes for better education... yet we all know that isn't happening... certainly not any better than when I was in school... but that aside... the bottom line is the people pay.. but really have no say. I would be like a me as a contractor taking money to remodel your kitchen then asking your neighbor how they would like me to do your kitchen... and having them come up with a plan that is way beyond your budget... then coming back to you to ask for more money so I can do your kitchen the way your neighbor wants it done... I am pretty sure that would piss you off

[wooffer]

Yeh, maybe I should pay the teachers other debts while we are it. Mortgage, and car, you know because they need to drive to work and a place to live. Isn't that the logic?

Edited March 10, 2012 by wooffer

[nyantler]

I wouldn't be against an hourly wage with a punch clock... at least then I wouldn't be paying some of them for the 180 days they don't work.

[Geno C]

Yeh, maybe I should pay the teachers other debts while we are it. Mortgage, and car, you know because they need to drive to work and a place to live. Isn't that the logic?

Dont lough... you never know with this crap shoot they call a system...

[Geno C]

thats the way this society works now... the ones that are ALL FOR for the way things are, are the ones who are NOT affected by it..

[nyantler]

Honestly, you can't blame the teachers for taking what is being offered to them... I must say that in the same position I probably would as well.. the difference would be that I couldn't with a straight face say that I didn't know it was wrong and that I deserved to make more money and get better benefits than the people paying me.

[Pav2704]

You have a lot of balls. EASY! EASY! I work two jobs to pay my school taxes. I give up seeing my children grow up and give up any chance of setting money aside for myself or them one day. The only thing worse than the greed that has taken over our school system, is the ignorance displayed by the ilk that calls themselves teachers here on LI.

I have to laugh with your postings! You think that your the only one that works two jobs. You live on Long Island...everyone works two jobs here!!! Everything here is expensive, not just taxes. I've worked two jobs since I started college and still do, ten years into my teaching career. When my part-time teaching job ends at 3, I can't wait to go to my construction job for the change of pace. I do it so that my children and family have everything they need. Not so I have something to bitch about online. You never mentioned what you do for a living??? I do know that you spend an awful lot of time at this site during the work day. Who are you cheating out of money???

[Karpteach]

I unfortunately work 3 jobs. I work a 12 month school program. I also teach ESL to adults on weekends, mostly 3 classes on occasion 4 per weekend. I also do early intervention 4 nights a week. I could only afford 1 child and 1 car to live on the island.

It's not the union that makes me get a masters it's the State! they also expect me to take 175 hrs of updated instruction that I pay. I have 3 state licences, ESL, Special Ed and History 5-12. I couldn't get a job until I had at least 2.

Yeah, I live on f---king easy street.

Edited March 10, 2012 by Karpteach

[Dave]

For those of you who teach in NYC this is not meant for you. You can't compare NYC teachers and NYPD to the same jobs on Long Island. I do not want th insul the NYC teachers or NYPD. But if you are a LI teacher with tenure and sometime on the job and have to work two jobs you are probably living over your means. So don't look for us to feel sorry for you. I see the problem being you have been granted tenure, have high salaries, benefits for health insurance that most pay nothing for, no copay for doctors or prescriptions. Just an intitlement mentality. Is this what you are teaching our children??????? And our president wants us to pay our fair share for education WTF.