Monday, March 02, 2009

NICE SURPRISE: MORE PEOPLE PAID SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES IN 2009 THAN IN 2008

The town of Greenburgh acts as a collector of taxes for school districts. We are required to pay the school taxes to the school districts whether we collect the taxes or not. The 2nd half of school taxes was due at the end of January. Many people speculated that the deep recession our nation is currently suffering from would impact school tax collections. Other communities around the nation are experiencing more foreclosures, failure of many people to pay their property taxes. I was pleasantly surprised to learn from Dave Dwinell, Receiver of Taxes,that the town actually collected a greater percentage of school tax bills owed in 2009 than we collected in 2008. Hat’s off to David Dwinell. His office has been working very hard following up on school tax bills owed.
One of the reasons why Standard & Poors upgraded the town’s bond rating to AAA last year (the highest rating a municipality can receive) and why Moody’s has also upgraded our bond ratings in previous years is because we have a high tax collection rate. This is very good news. The overall amount that was collected in 2009 was also $15,184,506 more than last year.
On March 1, 2008(last year) we collected 96.8% of all school taxes for the ten school districts in Greenburgh.
On March 1, 2009 (this year) we collected 97.3% of all school taxes for the ten school districts in Greenburgh.
THINK POSITIVE---THE ECONOMY WILL TURN AROUND.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor
PS: I received more good news from our comptroller, Mike Kolesar. I am pleased to inform you that the Government Finance Officers Association has again awarded the Town of Greenburgh a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. This marks the 21st consecutive year that the Town’s Comprehensive Annual Financial report (“CAFR”) has been so recognized.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice surprise! Greenburgh Central collected more tax money then was needed and we want it back!

Anonymous said...

Ummm people should be paying and the town or school districts should be enforcing.

Anonymous said...

Well the schools have all of us by
the b---s.

The school system should be investigated as to why the yearly raise in taxes while the amount of children is the same

Take Edgemont they have so much property that could be sold to help defray the rising taxes.

Anonymous said...

"The overall amount that was collected in 2009 was also $15,184,506 more than last year.
On March 1, 2008(last year) we collected 96.8% of all school taxes for the ten school districts in Greenburgh.
On March 1, 2009 (this year) we collected 97.3% of all school taxes for the ten school districts in Greenburgh"

Paul's cavalier attitude toward finance and tax burdens is infuriating. According to the numbers, the increase in collection compliance was .5% but the increase in revenue collected for the schools was $15 million. I assume the $15 mill increase reflects not just the .5% compliance but also enormous collective school tax increases. Feiner is proud that the school districts are extracting huge tax increases from Greenburgh residents when salaries are stagnant, property values and investments are decreasing and unemployment rising?

Anonymous said...

I have no control over the school budgets. Voters are provided with the opportunity to vote for or against school budgets (and the school tax rates) every year.
PAUL FEINER

Anonymous said...

"Voters are provided with the opportunity to vote for or against school budgets (and the school tax rates) every year.

We voted down the Greenburgh Central budget and the district was still able to raise school taxes - slightly less than originally proposed - according to state law.

Anonymous said...

Oh goody. The tax payers of Greenburgh are fiscally responsible and paid thier taxes.

Aren't we grand?

Paul,

Since you have no control over school budgets why even post about them here. What's your point? Bond ratings? The bond ratings that you take personal credit for? The bond ratings that are sure to go bye-bye after you raided our fund balance this year?

Anonymous said...

Anon 1:38

You write "We voted down the Greenburgh Central budget and the district was still able to raise school taxes - slightly less than originally proposed - according to state law."

I have a novel idea for you.

Contact our elected people in Albany.
Let us know their answer to your concern with State School Budget legislation!

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr Supervisor -
Your innumeracy is showing yet again.
When the budget increases, the amount of taxes paid goes up. More money spent means more tax money collected. What is it about this simple truth that eludes you?
Stop being proud of your ignorance and start doing the part of the job you were elected nine times to do - you are the Town's chief fiscal officer - learn the ropes, please.

Anonymous said...

When voters elect someone 9 times the majority of people probably don't think the elected official is ignorant or not doing a good job.

Anonymous said...

The voters that elected him nine times are either gone, dead or now so pissed off at him, Bozo could run against him and get elected.

Bozo! Where are you? Step up!

Anonymous said...

6:44,

Even though Greenburgh Central has ripped off the tax payers, Paul rips us off again and provides after school programs, like Xposure, for the same kids we've overpaid to educate.

Nice surprise!

Anonymous said...

francis sheehan said Xposure was probably the greatest thing ever done in greenburgh

francis, what about your ramp for no one at the library? where does that rank?

Anonymous said...

Dear 6:29PM -
Mr Feiner was elected repeatedly because the poor results of his ignorance/cupidity were masked by the strongest growth cycle in human history. You may view it as a case of a rising tide lifts all boats...
Sadly, during this unprecedented growth, the Town of Greenburgh did nothing to grow its taxable base - instead opting for modest tax increases and the acquisition of non-financially productive assets. In 2003 when Lasser ran against Feiner and campaigned on the need for fiscal responsibility and professional management, only 11% of the eligible voters bothered to cast ballots - and 80% of those were for maintaining the status quo. Similarly, when Greenawalt ran in 2005, only a slightly larger percentage of eligible voters bothered - and the result was another Feiner victory. The 2007 election returned to a below 10% turnout, and Feiner managed another "triumph". In the words of a famous general, Another such victory and we are doomed." So long as only about 10% of those eligible to vote turn out, they will make the decision for the other 90%, and in recent years that turns out to have been a series of very bad decisions.
Mr Feiner has the active support and votes of less than 8% of Greenburgh voters and it is a tragedy that it seems to be enough.
Not only is the elected official ignorant, so is the electorate.

Anonymous said...

re "Nice Surprise" department.

Anonymous 5:55 on March 3 was correct. The Supervisor was wrong (again).

-----Original Message-----
From: Venita Howard
Sent: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 10:45 am
Subject: RE: questions on release

Hal,

The percentage figures reflect the dollar amounts to be collected on the warrants for the ten school districts.

David C. Dwinell
Receiver of Taxes
Town of Greenburgh



-----Original Message-----
From: hal samis
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 10:35 AM
To: receiver of taxes
Subject: questions on release

David:

Could you clarify some points from this release.

The headline refers to "more people" yet only percentages are given.
How many "more taxpayers" are represented in this .0005 difference?


"the town actually collected a greater percentage of school tax bills owed"

If tax bills were higher for 2009 (which I assume), do all these
percentages reflect the dollar amount paid against the dollar amount owed or is it the number of taxpayers (which I assume you're going to supply per above) which justifies this conclusion?

Hal Samis

NICE SURPRISE: MORE PEOPLE PAID SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES IN 2009 THAN IN 2008!
Release Date: March 02, 2009

Anonymous said...

Things are going to get green in the town of Greenburgh! Science Teacher Chelsea Schinker had a vision of a greener Greenburgh the first day she began working in the TDYCC building where Xposure is held daily. "They were all ready recycling cardboard, which is a great start. I just wanted to take it to another level and get the kids involved." Said Chelsea infront of a diverse crowd and the members of Town Hall. Behind her were 12 students dressed in lab coats and goggles, ready to give a presentation on volcanoes.
Back at TDYCC, students have had to fill out applications, create resumes, and interveiw to become members of the green team. Starting with ten members, the team has already begun making an impact. Several multi-material recycling bins have been introduced to the center for recycling things like paper, plastic, and cans. Green Team Members will be getting their own custom jersies, begin performing weekly radio programs, and maintaining the new recycling program at the community center. Expect to see great things come from these great children!

Resumes? These kids were required to submit resumes to be part of this team?

Anonymous said...

From "The King and I"

"so if you become a teacher, by your pupils you'll be taught"

Now let's see. The Town pays almost $30,000 a year to two lucky connected people who are paid to talk the green talk at Town Hall.

And, now you're telling me that the TDYCC doesn't recycle but that fortunately the fruit of spending over $400,000 for an after school program is now being harvested.

The message which didn't come from our energy czarinas and was not thought of by Mr. White, Ms. Whitehead or Mr. Carter, even the Town's DPW which has it in place for homeowners for years is now becoming a reality because of....Xposure?

And should we let other Town Departments in on the secret too?
Perhaps when those messy desks at the Court get cleaned out, the empty soda cans will go into one container, the plastic in another and the CASH in another.

And those custom jersies, non-polluting dye I assume.

But, resumes for kids? You mean to tell readers that not everyone can be involved in recycling? That you need to be evaluated? Of course your point must be that the kids are learning about how to create resumes which will be helpful to them in about five years when they look for after school work: everywhere except to become a "teacher" in the Xposure program.

Anonymous said...

So nice to hear you collected more taxes. Maybe now, you might be able to give your CSEA workers their raises that they rightfully deserve. Do the right thing and vote yes for the memorandum of agreement that you both agreed upon.

Anonymous said...

Mr Feiner,

I paid my taxes yet my garbage that was suppose to picked up Monday still sits at the bottom of my driveway. Today,Wednesday paper recycling was suppose to be picked up and again it sits at the end of my driveway. If you want the next school tax you will find it at the bottom of my driveway. Hope you know where that is.