Letter to the Editor, November 2012
Dear Residents of 10964,
Your property taxes now rank third highest in the country. Your town board wishes to raise them higher. Our elected officials have voted to override the state-mandated cap of a 2% property tax increase. Their proposed increase will exceed 6%.
This proposed increase is particularly insulting in a year when the median household income in Rockland County has decreased by 3.7%. Even more onerous, currently, the median Rockland county property tax accounts for 11% of median household income. After tax, the average Rockland County resident pays 15% of their income to property taxes.
To put it in perspective, the average home price in Rockland County is roughly three times the national average. And yet you pay in property tax, more than ten times the national average. Do you get ten times the service?
Tomorrow night, November 13, the Orangetown Supervisor and town board members will listen to public commentary on their proposed property tax increase. Four years ago we argued successfully against a similar increase in our property taxes. And this preceded the state mandated cap. With the 2% cap on our side now, I believe we can argue successfully against another increase for 2013.
If you wish to keep your property taxes at a sensible and reasonable level please voice your opinion to your elected officials.
Paul Goldman
Resident, Palisades, NY