In a theme we have ready before, the WDT opines about lowering the county sales tax back to 7% and essentially let the property tax bear the brunt of any increases in spending.
Putting aside whether the answer is in cutting expenses, the sales tax has allowed for the continuation of services at the local level without the kind of unbridled property taxes we have seen in some areas.
As I have said before, the sales tax distribution formula I helped renegotiate years ago is yielding revenue that has allowed for a decrease in the property tax levy in the City and no levy in many towns. The sales tax collects from a broad base, including the many visitors to the county.
Property taxes are problematic as they are a direct impediment to holding on to what is most dear to you...your home...your property. It should not be made worse. Any cut in tax rates, sales or property, must be funded by real cuts or consolidations. To do otherwise is fooling ourselves.
Watertown Daily Times Tax shuffle Jefferson County should lower sales tax rate
5 comments:
What a bizarre editorial! Have the Times been listening to too much NPR ("Oh my goodness! What will these poor municipalities do if NYS passes property tax cap legislation? Property taxes are their main source of revenue!").
I call shenanigans!
In my town, we budgeted $364,000 for sales tax revenue in 2011. A 1% drop in the sales tax rate would mean an increase of $45,500 in our tax levy and a $.45 increase in our tax rate. How is that fair?
We should be Goddamned grateful that people are spending money and buying things.
Should the County use more of their fund balance of lower the tax levy? Sure. But it is just downright bizarre to suggest they should lower the sales tax rate.
Well said. I'm glad we have mayor who understands the burdens homeowners face regarding property taxes. I don't like to see any taxes go up, but of the two I would rather it be sales taxes that go up. I'll end up paying more anyway, but at least the burden is spread over everybody.
Property Taxes have been overtly higher in NYS then elsewhere in the Country and the time to Cap and then reduce Property Taxes is long overdue for homeowners struggling to make ends meet. Sales taxes in the State are regressive and must also be lowered and if I have to choose I'd say keep Sales Taxes where they're at for now, because it’s the lesser of two evils... People still come to Watertown to buy, because the price is still right compared to other locals. It avoids costing people their jobs and that really will hurt tax revenue and recovery worse than maintaining the Sales Tax at its current rate.
MCM
Now I asked a county legislator some weeks ago when He was chortling about lowering the property tax, and deciding how much of a budget surplus the county should have, I questioned the effect of more spending will have if sales tax were to drop or in this case be lowered, as the county spends more every year, I also wonder when the Sheriff's dept. will go back to "Basics" But we know the answer...............
"ALBANY, N.Y. — State Senator Patty Ritchie (R,C-Heuvelton) today announced Senate approval of a plan to provide a $5000 tax credit to businesses that create new jobs." That's was great effort on the part of State Sen. Ritchie and acampaigh promise kept by her to NNY.
MCM
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