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You're paying for over-compensated unionized "educators", in fact wasn't it Penfield where a bunch of good parents stood up to the lefty school board, after they found out what garbage was being poured down their kids' throats? Not only that, they hired some flunky commie type for some newly-created administration gig, around the same time.
No thanks.
A huge chunk of school taxes there go towards union pensions. They should be on a 401K.
It's interesting you are so concerned about Penfield school taxes when you don't even pay them. The last school budget passed with 73% voting yes. It seems to me that an overwhelming majority support keeping the schools funded through taxes and don't want to destroy the quality of education like those low tax states have done with their school systems
70% of my property tax is school tax. School taxes are funded by budgets that are voted on by citizens. The reason we have high school taxes is because we have really good schools and programs. If citizens of Penfield for instance wanted to cut their school taxes in half we could just eliminate school buildings, sports, programs for students, transportation and then just drive our kids 30 miles across the town to herd all of our kids into overcrowded buildings with few opportunities for students to explore different programs. Just like they do in those so called low tax states. As a father of 2 young kids no thank you. I have no problem with the cost of my school taxes considering I have a nationally ranked school just a few miles away with so many opportunities
You're overlooking a few glaring points, in that blanket statement. It's VERY easy for parents of school aged children to want the best for their kids, when all you have to do is pull a lever, in a voting booth, every couple of years, to create the budget. So, they do. The cost of your children's education doesn't really stand out, as it's hidden in your tax levy, as well as everyone else's, as a flat amount, based on the property's assessment.
Want to know the REAL cost of your child's education? Look at the tuition cost for any of the private schools, within the county. It's far more than what your town's school tax levy is, and in the private school's case, it's PER STUDENT. A family has 2 students in the private school, then ring the register two times, not the blanket, one time charge, of the public school, through school taxes.
My point, in all of this, is that school taxes aren't really fair, as not everyone has children using the school system. My wife and I married rather late in life, and opted not to have children. The school district doesn't care, my school tax bill is still $4000. There are 7 houses located on my street, but only one has any children in school. That doesn't matter to the town, we still pay a combined total of around $30,000 per year, in school tax......
You're overlooking a few glaring points, in that blanket statement. It's VERY easy for parents of school aged children to want the best for their kids, when all you have to do is pull a lever, in a voting booth, every couple of years, to create the budget. So, they do. The cost of your children's education doesn't really stand out, as it's hidden in your tax levy, as well as everyone else's, as a flat amount, based on the property's assessment.
Want to know the REAL cost of your child's education? Look at the tuition cost for any of the private schools, within the county. It's far more than what your town's school tax levy is, and in the private school's case, it's PER STUDENT. A family has 2 students in the private school, then ring the register two times, not the blanket, one time charge, of the public school, through school taxes.
My point, in all of this, is that school taxes aren't really fair, as not everyone has children using the school system. My wife and I married rather late in life, and opted not to have children. The school district doesn't care, my school tax bill is still $4000. There are 7 houses located on my street, but only one has any children in school. That doesn't matter to the town, we still pay a combined total of around $30,000 per year, in school tax......
I think what you’ve mentioned is a part of the reason that there is enhanced STAR for homeowners 65 and older, as they are highly unlikely to have children in school.
I also think this may be a matter of viewing good schools(resources, etc.) as a way to help keep the quality of life high for residents in a community/school district, whether they have children in the public schools or not, real or perceived.
When it costs about $20-25,000 per year per student and you pay $4000 per year in school taxes, the math doesn't add up. That's because commercial properties pay school taxes too. And where do they get the money to pay their bills? From us, the paying customer, or lower pay scales at your job.
I think what you’ve mentioned is a part of the reason that there is enhanced STAR for homeowners 65 and older, as they are highly unlikely to have children in school.
That's correct, HOWEVER, my wife and I NEVER had children in the school system, yet our school tax has been 50-55% of our total tax levy, for the last 30+years
Quote:
Originally Posted by JWRocks
When it costs about $20-25,000 per year per student and you pay $4000 per year in school taxes, the math doesn't add up. That's because commercial properties pay school taxes too. And where do they get the money to pay their bills? From us, the paying customer, or lower pay scales at your job.
Which brings up the question, "why does it cost the public school system $20-25K per student, per year"?? The private schools do it for far less......and yes, I am aware that the private schools do get a small portion of their income from the state, yet their tuitions are nowhere near $20K.
You're overlooking a few glaring points, in that blanket statement. It's VERY easy for parents of school aged children to want the best for their kids, when all you have to do is pull a lever, in a voting booth, every couple of years, to create the budget. So, they do. The cost of your children's education doesn't really stand out, as it's hidden in your tax levy, as well as everyone else's, as a flat amount, based on the property's assessment.
Want to know the REAL cost of your child's education? Look at the tuition cost for any of the private schools, within the county. It's far more than what your town's school tax levy is, and in the private school's case, it's PER STUDENT. A family has 2 students in the private school, then ring the register two times, not the blanket, one time charge, of the public school, through school taxes.
My point, in all of this, is that school taxes aren't really fair, as not everyone has children using the school system. My wife and I married rather late in life, and opted not to have children. The school district doesn't care, my school tax bill is still $4000. There are 7 houses located on my street, but only one has any children in school. That doesn't matter to the town, we still pay a combined total of around $30,000 per year, in school tax......
Just a few points. Many older citizens have grandchildren in school. Or they have other immediate family members with children or grandchildren in school. They still have a vested interest in the schools.
Second, ignoring the city schools which are terrible, you can pretty much throw a dart in a Rochester suburb and find great schools. That doesn't happen in low tax states. You have to be very careful and research and hope you can get your children in a good school.
Our schools are fantastic. They are doing a lot of things correct. If it was as simple to make great schools universally across an entire metro in a low tax environment, then it should already be happening and I will change my opinion. But as of today universally those areas of the country with low school taxes generally have not great schools with just a few magnet schools that parents compete to enroll their kids in.
Another add. I have a friend that moved to a low tax state because he didn't like New York politics. He was a teacher here and looked for a job teaching where he moved. The pay was so bad he couldn't afford it. He now washes cars. He quite literally makes more money washing cars then what the schools could pay him. Thus is a very telling symptom of a massive problem of underfunded schools in the south
You're overlooking a few glaring points, in that blanket statement. It's VERY easy for parents of school aged children to want the best for their kids, when all you have to do is pull a lever, in a voting booth, every couple of years, to create the budget. So, they do. The cost of your children's education doesn't really stand out, as it's hidden in your tax levy, as well as everyone else's, as a flat amount, based on the property's assessment.
Want to know the REAL cost of your child's education? Look at the tuition cost for any of the private schools, within the county. It's far more than what your town's school tax levy is, and in the private school's case, it's PER STUDENT. A family has 2 students in the private school, then ring the register two times, not the blanket, one time charge, of the public school, through school taxes.
My point, in all of this, is that school taxes aren't really fair, as not everyone has children using the school system. My wife and I married rather late in life, and opted not to have children. The school district doesn't care, my school tax bill is still $4000. There are 7 houses located on my street, but only one has any children in school. That doesn't matter to the town, we still pay a combined total of around $30,000 per year, in school tax......
There's the rub.
Down here, we don't have a school property tax.
Our kids went to public school here in Traveler's Rest, and are now at top-tier schools in the Midwest, on scholarships. Avg. teacher pay is $54K plus a generous benefits package and pension plan.
Per-pupil spending is around $10K or so.
I just don't see how the huge property tax levies there can be justified, vs. the results, which are medium-tier for the country. I'm talking across-the-board, not one, specific district. Especially there with enrollments way down from years ago.
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