Property Tax Versus Income Tax

The Other Side Of The Taxpayer Coin

For an interesting, although far from unbiased view of a proposed county property tax, take a look at LongIslandIncomeTax.com.

The information provided, while neither wholely accurate nor even fact-based, makes good reading, and does provide food for further thought.

For a more objective and reasoned approach -- while still casting much doubt upon a local income tax to replace the property tax as a means of school funding, read the report of the Suffolk County Homeowners Property Tax Commission.

And for those who would like to become more intimately involved in the property tax reform arena -- something which we at The Community Alliance wholeheartedly encourage -- there's the Property Tax Reform Task Force , founded by resolution of the Marbletown Town Board (Ulster County) in April 2004.

A grassroots effort, the Property Tax Reform Task Force has now grown into a statewide movement focused on finding ways to reduce burdensome taxes imposed upon already housing poor homeowners.

If you can make it up to Stone Ridge, New York, you may want to attend an upcoming meeting. If not, you can still make a difference and lend your voice by getting involved.

You may want to join forces with local community groups that have championed the cause of property tax reform, or start a local chapter of the Property Tax Reform Task Force in your own hometown. [In Nassau, reach out to Taxpayers Union of Long Island, Inc. 3685 Merrick Road, Seaford NY 11783; In Suffolk, Patchogue Area Civic Tax Watch Organization, Robert Newman, 516-697-6260 rjnewman@optonline.net www.mylocaltaxes.com; North Amityville Taxpayers, Inc., P.O. Box 761, Amityville NY 11701; Idle Hour Taxpayers Association, 12 Consuelo Place, Oakdale NY 11769; Coalition of New York Taxpayers 31 Union Avenue, Center Moriches NY 11934.]

Clearly, there is great need in local communities for the seeding of grassroots property tax reform groups, and for the consolidation of efforts under umbrella organizations such as the Property Tax Reform Task Force.

All over New York, homeowners are faced with the same problem -- skyrocketing property taxes with no end to the escalation in sight.

The time has come for ALL OF US to ORGANIZE & UNITE!