New York state overachieves in all categories of taxation. We should ask, “Where does all that money go?” Most goes to public sector salaries and benefits that the rest of us only dream about. The problem is that an over-funded public sector is destroying the economy of western New York. Some towns in Monroe County have very good schools, but good education is not enough. You also need jobs.
Western New York has two big problems:
1. Winter lasts five months.
2. New York taxes.
Nothing can be done about the length of winter, but the taxes were not imposed by God. In spite of the weather, western New York would do well in the jobs sector if it did not have the burden of New York taxes.
Western New York must secede from New York state and reduce taxes to the national median. This tax reduction will enable bankruptcy and the voiding of all public sector contracts which are at the heart of the problem. To do less would assure that western New York will keep declining economically.
JOHN BERKES
Absolutely correct. We have a crushing level of taxation that is destroying our local economy and has resulted in massive population loss of productive citizens as they flee western NY to find a better climate for jobs and taxes.
Nowhere is this more true that in the government education sector. Monroe County has the highest property taxes in the entire US and this is primarily because of the staggering level of school taxes we pay. Yet for all of this spending, are we getting the highest qualoity schools in the entire US? No! Although NY’s education spending is 77% above the national average, NY students rank only around 50% on national standardized tests and have lower graduation rates and lower SAT scores. The only thing higher than the national average is the overly-generous compensation for government school employees.
JohnQPubliq
JOHN BERKES also wrote
“Western New York must secede from New York state and reduce taxes to the national median. This tax reduction will enable bankruptcy and the voiding of all public sector contracts which are at the heart of the problem. To do less would assure that western New York will keep declining economically.”
I agree with Mr. Berkes, I also believe that Western NY needs to secede from Downstate NY, from Albany and the east side of the Hudson River, including New York City and Long Island.
The late (and great!)Charlie Eames) had long advocated for Western NY secession. Read his essay on it, “Upstate Ultimatum”:
“As the American Philosopher and Poet, George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The citizens of Upstate are now enduring these exact same conditions. We have no representation and no power. Albany in general and the Assembly in particular are controlled by New York City. The Speaker of the Assembly has proven time and time again that he has no regards for the needs or the will of the people of Upstate New York. Over the years the Speaker has refused to allow the General Assembly to vote or even discuss Initiative and Referendum. I&R is only one example of the cold callousness of the State Government. More recent events show the attitudes of Albany and the treatment of Upstate will only get worse.
Imagine what we could do in a state that’s free from Albany’s authorities and mandates! Business would once again thrive and perhaps we can reverse the “dieing city” trend that Rochester is slowly succumbing to.
PatrioticVeteran
John Berkes also commented: “This tax reduction will enable bankruptcy and the voiding of all public sector contracts which are at the heart of the problem.”
Although misstated, you have the right idea, sir.
One of the top priorities must be to break the public employee unions, and break them so hard that all the kings men could never put them together again. End every single contract signed in the past must be voided, period.
Secession would be the best way to do this, as the entity that signed them would no longer exist, just as if a private sector company’s employee unions had driven them out of business. This would bring the gravy train of benefits & wages to a screeching halt.
Sadly, this state is owned lock stock & barrel by a coalition of its freeloaders and its government employees. Nothing that could even accomplish a fraction of this would ever pass the current government.
Even a first step, such as what happened in Wisconsin is impossible here.
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