About the Hastings Alliance
The Hastings Alliance for Affordable Taxes is a loose group of Hastings residents who are unlike in many ways. Some of us have children in the schools and some don’t. Some are employed; others have lost jobs. Some pay high taxes, and some pay lower taxes. We don’t agree on very many things–we’re Hastings people, after all. But to a man, although we value the institution of public education and want to preserve it, we’re concerned about the rising taxes in the village and concerned the quality of the schools.
We are hoping in this blog to nurture a conversation about how the quality of our schools can be maintained (or, some of us think, even improved) in the face of these difficult times, when the district is pressured by the rising costs of expenses over which it has no control.
Hard choices will have to be made. We will listen to our educators with respect, but as parents and neighbors, all of us need to weigh in to help shape the future–not only of our schools but also of Hastings itself.
1.
Glenn Eisen | January 8, 2010 at 10:40 pm
Where does the school’s budget money go? Can we get maintain and improve the value we give our students and still reduce cost. i think the answer is yes.
How much extra are we paying because of our need to do everything in Hastings? Home rule is an expensive proposition and its not only in the schools, it’s in the police, government services, etc.
Can we consolidate our administrative, systems and operational budgets with Ardsley, Dobbs, Irvington, and still maintain our schools and other government services that we are so used to receiving.
It works elsewhere – why can’t we consider the options of keeping what’s great and benefits our kids and looking to save where we can. Politicians talk about it when running for office but once elected they seem to talk about other stuff.
Too many of us are so busy just trying to survive day to day with jobs, schools, kids, and other stuff we find it’s easier to just write another check and justify it because it’s also tax deductible.
How much extra are you the taxpayers of Hastings willing to pay to get what other citizens in other town, villages, and cities get for far less? Flat percentage cuts and spending freezes are usually very non productive and do not solve the problems. There are a lot of very smart people in the surrounding communities – lets encourage alternative thinking and creative solutions.
2.
Kathy | April 12, 2009 at 10:37 am
Thought of this comment after I answered your survey.
You asked if high taxes affect house prices; I think that having good schools affect house prices much more.
The balance between the two is the question before the community. Very complex. How do you raise property valuations? What is the best type of development, where we can have it, in this mostly built out community? School population is declining, village population is aging…
The question is not just will we give the teachers a raise.
We should look to other communities; how are they addressing things, is there lessons to be learned?
3.
Jane Cody | April 14, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Thanks for your reply and for contributing to the discussion with constructive ideas.
You make a good point that there are complex relationships among overall tax rates, demographics and the town development agenda. The village administration and the schools appear to function as separate entities, yet there is a strong relationship between them: the village government makes the development decisions about the waterfront that impact tax revenues. And the majority of property tax revenues are allocated to our schools (77% to schools; 23% to village).
Given the relationship, the administrative dichotomy between the village and schools strikes me as odd, but maybe it is typical town government structure. I’d like to better understand this. Also, I agree with you that it would be helpful to know how other towns are handling these challenges. Does anyone in the community have more information?
I don’t think anyone would disagree with your comment that good schools positively affect housing prices. However, there may be a point of diminishing returns, when taxes make it more difficult to sell a home. For example, if Hastings tax rates are significantly higher, why would buyers prefer Hastings to comparable towns such as Dobbs, Ardsely or Irvington?