North Country residents being taxed out of their homes

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August 4, 2008

By STEPHEN BARTLETT The Press Republican Mon Aug 04, 2008, 12:00 AM EDT

PLATTSBURGH -- Capping property taxes has been on the minds of many.

Some groups opposed to the idea claim the issue is dead, though that doesn't seem to be the case according to news coming out of Albany.

Surveys, in fact, indicate an overwhelming number of New Yorkers support the idea, but locally it depends on who you are talking to.

DIFFERING OPINIONS

"To have a tax cap makes no sense, because right now we get to vote on the school budget," said Roderick Sherman, president of the Plattsburgh Teachers Association. "It's the only governmental budget the public votes on every year, and they can either approve or disapprove it."

"I fully support a cap on these taxes," said Plattsburgh City Mayor Donald Kasprzak.

Lawmakers are considering legislation to address soaring property taxes as the state struggles to retain young families, seniors and businesses.

New York's local taxes are the highest in the nation, and outside of New York City, 62 percent of property taxes are school taxes.

Paterson would cap the school property-tax levy at a 4-percent increase, or 120 percent of the Consumer Price Index, whichever is less.

A Siena College Poll indicated that 73 percent of New Yorkers want a cap.

New Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos is pushing to see the legislation adopted by the end of August.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has said any property-tax legislation must include the funds schools need to meet education standards.

Various organizations have said they'd support a tax cap if the state covered a percentage of the costs of nondiscretionary items.

Also garnering broke is the idea of a circuit breaker that would cap individual property taxes at a percentage of the homeowner's income.

"There is no question about the fact that funding education on property taxes on the local level can really hurt some people, such as people on fixed incomes," Sherman said. "That's why I think Betty Little's proposal of a tax circuit breaker makes a lot of sense. There are some folks who vote yes who want schools to get what they need but it may negatively impact them, and that is where a circuit breaker would work."

Capping property taxes would take away the public's right to improve schools, he said.

"It is just a case of government stepping in and trying to tell the local people what they can and can't do with their schools," Sherman said.

RELIEF NEEDED

Kasprzak understands the varied positions on the issue, but he thinks the government must step in.

"The City of Plattsburgh absolutely needs tax relief," he said. "The residents of this community can no longer afford the high property taxes that have been existing for years, and there is no question we must have a cap to return the city to affordability."

It's become impossible for some of them to remain living in the area, he said, while others have been forced to adjust their lives to soaring costs and a struggling economy.

"We must cap property taxes across the board," Kasprzak said. "If that does not happen, there will continue to be an exodus of New York state residents to other areas, and that simply is unacceptable."

John Whitely of Ticonderoga has been involved with property-taxpayer activities for the past 15 years and envisions a three-point program of a tax cap, circuit breaker and mandate relief.

"If you don't have a circuit breaker or mandate relief, the tax cap will cause problems down the road," said Whitely, who belongs to the New York State Tax Reform Coalition.

"The levy of taxation now is making it difficult for a lot of people," he continued. "They are having to sell their homes. What do you do if you are a senior living on a relatively fixed income and property taxes continue to go up."

His group would like to see the school-property tax eliminated altogether with the state picking up the tab.

EDUCATION CONCERNS

Chris Martine moved into the City of Plattsburgh a couple of years ago and has spoken to many longtime residents who are having trouble paying their taxes.

"It's not hard to imagine why for-sale signs are popping up around the city."

He agreed that people need relief, but, with a daughter going into second grade and a son entering kindergarten soon, he wouldn't want to see school programs negatively impacted as a result.

"It's bad enough that some of these programs like art and music are suffering, and it would be rough to see other programs get cut," Martine said. "Students would no longer get a well-rounded education."

Keri Mack, a homeowner and mother of two children attending Plattsburgh City School, has mixed feelings on the issue.

She purchased her home about three years ago and has seen her tax bill jump from around $3,200 to $5,600.

"I do think schools need to have sufficient monies to pay for the programs kids need," Mack said. "But I don't know how much longer I can take taxes being increased."

sbartlett@pressrepublican.com