As New York Teacher went to press, the state Commission on PropertyTax Relief, chaired by Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, was dueto release its recommendations. In addition to a school propertytax cap, the commission was expected to recommend initiatives tolower costs to school districts, as well as a "circuit breaker"proposal. Visit www.nysut.org for details. UPDATE: NYSUT responds to tax cap report "At a time when we are just beginning to address some of thefunding and achievement gaps that exist in schools throughout thestate, a property tax cap would Lock Panel in disparities and deny localcommunities the ability to invest in their schools at levels theydeem appropriate," said NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi. "A tax capmakes no sense if we are serious about our efforts to maintain ahigh-quality education system and close the achievement gap." At its formation, the commission was charged with recommending acap on school property taxes, a move NYSUT opposes as the wrongdirection for a state making gains in ending the achievement gap.The statewide union favors measures like the "circuit-breaker"proposal which would tie property taxes to income levels,protecting those on low and fixed incomes. In testimony to the commission in April, NYSUT Executive VicePresident Alan Lubin recounted disastrous results of tax caps inCalifornia, Illinois and Massachusetts. He pointed out that taxcaps will not contain the rising costs districts face to coverhealth care or fuel, for example. Tax caps introduce aone-size-fits-all budget mentality, eroding the local control thatNew Yorkers exercise every May when they vote on their schoolbudgets. "It is clear that if New York state imposes a mandatory tax cap onlevy increases, our students will suffer," Lubin said.
- 0 ratings
