THE PROPOSED WORK FOR TAXES PROGRAM for Greenburgh has been receiving national attention in recent days. Judy Dorros, an Edgemont resident, was featured on ABC TV World news this evening. The work for taxes initiative provides seniors with the opportunity to work off part of their taxes by doing community service work. Over one hundred communities around the nation (including Boston and Boulder) already offer seniors this option.
I received an e mail from a resident of Suffolk County advising me that the NY State Legislature approved the concept during the final days of the Pataki administration (approved by the Assembly & Senate) but the Governor neglected to sign the law authorizing tax credits. Some elected officials from around the state have contacted me during the past few days expressing interest in joining a coalition to push for legislation to be approved in 2008.
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There was also an article in this Sunday's The New York Times
(http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/23colwe.html).
The best line of the article was, "Mr. Feiner, who bubbles up with novel proposals the way department stores bubble up with one-day sales ..." LOL!
Clearly the consensus already covered in previous blog postings is that the proposal shouldn't be approved for Greenburgh; it's more appropriate for large cities. Nonetheless, it was a cute media thing for Greenburgh.
My in laws are in Hawaii. They called me. Greenburgh was featured on page one of the the local paper yesterday.
Yea, the AP was provided with the story, so it made a lot of newspapers as a cute lil feel-good Christmastime fill-in article.
My cousin called me from Washington State. He is going to suggest that his mayor implement the program.
Great -- another way to increase taxes for the rest of us. But Paul thinks we're not overtaxed. Accroding to the quote in the JN.
WOR Radio gave the idea great reviews this morning. Good job!
Exactly what jobs are going to be covered by those "working off" their Town taxes? Will the Town be reducing its current payroll by laying off union workers, or are these "new" jobs being created as specifically to provide the opportunity for "working off" property taxes?
Exactly where will the money come from to pay them?
Allowing eligible owners to substitute labor for cash in the payment of their taxes has the same effect as exempting their property from taxes - no cash is coming in, and the amount of cash necessary to pay the participants and cover the programs operating expenses is greater than the $700 per participant.
Will the Town incur an additional expense because it must pay social security taxes on these employees?Remember that the "Employer" contribution to Social Security is close to 7.5% - meaning the Town will be required to pay Social Security $52.50 for each participant who "works off" the $700 maximum. While it is a minor expense, every check the Town writes has a cost of a few cents - banks and payroll companies don't work for free.
What is the incremental cost of insurance coverage? Surely the Town will have to pay something for additional liability coverage - we certainly wouldn't like to find ourselves at the wrong end of a lawsuit because an elderly worker slipped and fell in the parking lot and then discover that to save a few pennies, we didn't bother to get adequate insurance.
Our politicians' lack of business experience is showing - and the press is all too willing an accomplice to political ambitions to allow a feelgood story to run without applying an appropriate reality check.
No one has asked, at least until now, whether adopting a policy with age limits for participation might not be illegally discriminatory. What about younger people who are having trouble paying their Town taxes?
Please, approach this idea in a busingess-like manner. Explore, in public discussions, the implications of adopting this new policy. Be open-minded about the idea, but be firm in adopting a policy which can have extremely serious financial and social implications.
Paul will have to raise taxes to pay for this program as well. Its a fact!!
The CNN coverage made it sound like these jobs will be created just to permit seniors to work.
Let's do the math:
Senior can't pay property tax so the Town is out $500 in revenues.
Town creates a job for the senior and pays her/him $500. Town now has a negative cash flow of $1,000.
Town pays Social Security of 7.5% on senior's earnings so another $75 of negative cash flow. Forget the incremental insurance costs, payroll expenses and incidentals - the program shifts $1,075 in costs to other taxpayers - if there are 300 participants, everybody else will (in the Town outside) will pay an additional 1%.
What's wrong with this picture?
Paul, perhaps one of the seniors could tutor you in basic economics.
No tutoring required -
just memorize the following:
THERE AIN'T NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH!
I'm under 65 but unemployed - can I get one of these jobs so my family can stay in Greenburgh too?
I agree, this is discrimination. If available to over 65, it must be avaialbe to all.
I am only 54, and working, but could take on another job. Wold I be eligible?
This is a good idea. Will give seniors constructive things to do. Will help them pay their taxes too. Luv the idea.
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