Commentary on Inequality in New York State
from the Center for Working Families
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“I’ve never made this many cuts, never had to.” – James P. Mazgajewski, Cheektowaga-Sloan Superintendent.
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What does a tax cut for millionaires look like?
Communities across New York are starting to find out – as they cough up for the state’s millionaires tax break:
• Erie County plans to carve out over 25% of the libraries’ books and materials budget and raise local taxes to support what’s left.
• North Tonawanda is cutting gifted and talented education and has to raise property taxes.
• Syracuse schools are slashing 470 jobs – nearly 12% of its staff.
• Suffolk County is scrambling to keep the doors open at two of its county health care centers.
• Poughkeepsie will shutter a local psychiatric center and three community facilities that served in-patients and out-patients in Putnam, Ulster and Dutchess counties.
• New York City will end its commitment to thousands of kids who had been promised college scholarships for keeping a B average.
• Things have gotten so bad in Brooklyn that civil courts are moving to a once-a-week schedule and Coney Island is rationing toilet paper.
From Buffalo to Suffolk, tax breaks for a few look like more layoffs, bigger classes, and fewer essential programs. And tax hikes for the rest of us, just to maintain what’s left.
Tell us what it’s looking like in your community. We’ll print the best – or the worst – in the next issue.
Sunshine Ludder & Chloe Tribich
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