N.Y. is going to tax soda, itunes, increase welfare by 1/3!

[Bindare_Dundat]

Taxing gas will save the environment (less CO emissions)
Taxing taxis will... umm...  also save the environment (see above)
Taxing iTunes will also save the environment (less bandwidth used=smaller carbon footprint)

See?  Paterson isn't only saving New York's kids, he's saving the environment through taxation!  The man's a genius.

What a humanitarian.

[tonymctones]

Taxing gas will save the environment (less CO emissions)
Taxing taxis will... umm...  also save the environment (see above)
Taxing iTunes will also save the environment (less bandwidth used=smaller carbon footprint)

See?  Paterson isn't only saving New York's kids, he's saving the environment through taxation!  The man's a genius.

LOL lets be honest ppl are still gonna use just as much gas its not something ppl will stop using, so it wont lessen emissions if ppl where willing to pay 4 bucks a gallon a tax wont stop them.

PPl are still gonna take taxis's b/c lets be honest whos gonna walk?

LOL you think those lefty ipod crazy libs are really gonna stop using their itunes? even if they did they would just increase illegal downloading so no

Fast food tax at least introduces some beneficial byproduct that could be seen quickly

[Soul Crusher]

We are already nickle and dimed to death here.

[MRDUMPLING]

Well move 333...

It was a beautiful, sunny, 74 degrees in Charleston, SC yesterday.  Nothing like wearing shorts on Christmas!

[Soul Crusher]

Well move 333...

It was a beautiful, sunny, 74 degrees in Charleston, SC yesterday.  Nothing like wearing shorts on Christmas!

Family, self employed, thick nu yawk accent.

Picture My Cousin Vinny with a shaved head and that's me.

 

[MRDUMPLING]

I figured...I was just giving you a hard time.

[Soul Crusher]

I figured...I was just giving you a hard time.

Dont get me wrong, I would probably like being in the south more than here, its just no feasible right now.

I cant stand it here anymore.   

[shootfighter1]

Yeah, get the hell out of there man.

Its behavior modification through government...the start of big brother is coming!

[Dos Equis]

That's nuts.  Why would anyone want to live there? 

[Slapper]

New York is run by civil disservice unions who rape the pension system, billionaire liberals like Maddoff, and welfare cheats from Russia, Mexico, the DR, and other hell holes, who all cause us to have the highest taxes in the nation.

"Civil disservice"? The 40-hour week, the paid vacation, the health benefits, paid overtime, retirement benefits are all battles THE UNIONS WON and the rest of the non-union workers benefit from. If what the unions have done for themselves directly and the rest of the workers indirectly is "civil disservice" then turn the fucking lights off and lock the door on the way out.

I agree with you on the fact that unions are not needed in a free market economy, but WE DO NOT LIVE IN A FREE MARKET ECONOMY. There isn't a free market economy ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD at this point. It's a fallacy. A Lie. There is no "free" market. Put that in your head.

[Slapper]

We are already nickle and dimed to death here.

"We"? Who's "we"?

Speak for yourself.

[Slapper]

That's nuts.  Why would anyone want to live there?

Because you're paid 3 times more than in other states while being taxed at pretty much the same rates ($ 2,500+- difference)?

Look, half of NY retires to Florida because they've got the dough to do so... NY ain't hell. I mean, some small paisan business owner (who, logic would tell you, should be pissed at the Walmarts of this world and is instead hellbent on blaming the current economic state of affairs on the unions) may make you believe it is a shithole, but the majority would agree it's a beautiful place to live in, with lot's of opportunity, personally and professionally.

Having said this, what is being discussed here is just a proposal just yet. Don't get me wrong, what Paterson is talking about will be done, but on a smaller scale.

[Dos Equis]

Because you're paid 3 times more than in other states while being taxed at pretty much the same rates ($ 2,500+- difference)?

Look, half of NY retires to Florida because they've got the dough to do so... NY ain't hell. I mean, some small paisan business owner (who, logic would tell you, should be pissed at the Walmarts of this world and is instead hellbent on blaming the current economic state of affairs on the unions) may make you believe it is a shithole, but the majority would agree it's a beautiful place to live in, with lot's of opportunity, personally and professionally.

Having said this, what is being discussed here is just a proposal just yet. Don't get me wrong, what Paterson is talking about will be done, but on a smaller scale.

Isn't the increased pay offset by the fact NYC is one of the most expensive cities in the world? 

[Soul Crusher]

"Civil disservice"? The 40-hour week, the paid vacation, the health benefits, paid overtime, retirement benefits are all battles THE UNIONS WON and the rest of the non-union workers benefit from. If what the unions have done for themselves directly and the rest of the workers indirectly is "civil disservice" then turn the fucking lights off and lock the door on the way out.

I agree with you on the fact that unions are not needed in a free market economy, but WE DO NOT LIVE IN A FREE MARKET ECONOMY. There isn't a free market economy ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD at this point. It's a fallacy. A Lie. There is no "free" market. Put that in your head.

Governmernt workers do not need to be unionized and ripp off the system.  The taxpayers cannot afford the taxes anymore that go solely to pay for these people and their insane pensions and benes.

[Slapper]

Isn't the increased pay offset by the fact NYC is one of the most expensive cities in the world?

To some extent yes. But the pay is very, very good.

[Soul Crusher]

Isn't the increased pay offset by the fact NYC is one of the most expensive cities in the world? 

I live in westchester, the first county outside of NYC.  Cops and civil service people make 125k a year and up and can retire at 50% pay after 20 years.  They load up the last three years on overtime and then retire at about 75% to 100% of the base pay for life after only 20 years and get all health etc paid for.

What is the result??  highest taxes in the nation.  We fools who pay taxes for this nonsense are the suckers.  

The government civil disservice unions are like the Big 3, overpaid, not viable, and heading for a long needed collapse.

[Slapper]

Governmernt workers do not need to be unionized and ripp off the system.

 

How exactly are they "ripping off" the system?

The taxpayers cannot afford the taxes anymore that go solely to pay for these people and their insane pensions and benes.

Are union members not taxpayers themselves?

My wife works for the department of education of the city of NY, and I can attest PERSONALLY (not from a comment grabbed out of my ass) that her pension and benefit package is no better or worse than mine in the private world. Her pay is modest in comparison to the surrounding counties. The only thing that changes is that when she retires she will have a monthly check to collect from the City of NY for all the years of service. Is that what you call "ripping off" the system? I hate to break it to ya, but there is something like it in place nationwide, it's called Social Security. Hell, it seems as though everyone is ripping everyone else off in this country.

[Soul Crusher]

 

How exactly are they "ripping off" the system?

Are union members not taxpayers themselves?

My wife works for the department of education of the city of NY, and I can attest PERSONALLY (not from a comment grabbed out of my ass) that her pension and benefit package is no better or worse than mine in the private world. Her pay is modest in comparison to the surrounding counties. The only thing that changes is that when she retires she will have a monthly check to collect from the City of NY for all the years of service. Is that what you call "ripping off" the system? I hate to break it to ya, but there is something like it in place nationwide, it's called Social Security. Hell, it seems as though everyone is ripping everyone else off in this country.

Where do you want me start?  The cops???  Do you realize the OT fraud and ticket writing and arrest schemes that go on to pad the OT which gets put into the pension?

The firemen?

Government workers in westchester are running the same scams as Maddoff on the taxpayer.  Garbage men make 100k in yonkers as do grass cutters.

People are fleeing NY because of the taxes imposed to support this garbage.

[Slapper]

I live in westchester, the first county outside of NYC.  Cops and civil service people make 125k a year and up and can retire at 50% pay after 20 years.  They load up the last three years on overtime and then retire at about 75% to 100% of the base pay for life after only 20 years and get all health etc paid for.

What is the result??  highest taxes in the nation.  We fools who pay taxes for this nonsense are the suckers.

I live in Chappaqua myself and pay a lot in taxes. I speak only for myself, not on behalf of everyone like you do, and I, like I said before, do not mind paying 15k in property taxes. AT ALL. I have kids attending the 17th best school in the nation, where about 47% of the students end up being accepted in ivy-league schools. The town is kept clean. The last time someone got robbed was back in 1976. I mean, what can I say? If you do not like paying the taxes then you should seriously consider moving to another part of the area. I bet you do not mind getting paid the 15-20% extra for what you sell, compared to other areas of WC, because you live in a prime real estate zone though...   

The government civil disservice unions are like the Big 3, overpaid, not viable, and heading for a long needed collapse.

Like I said, my wife works for the DoE of the city of NY and I can attest PERSONALLY that she IS NOT getting overpaid. She IS NOT. You are LYING.

[Slapper]

Where do you want me start?  The cops???  Do you realize the OT fraud and ticket writing and arrest schemes that go on to pad the OT which gets put into the pension?

The firemen?

Government workers in westchester are running the same scams as Maddoff on the taxpayer.  Garbage men make 100k in yonkers as do grass cutters.

You're talking about cops? That is all the union is? Cops? Are you applying something that may be happening (I'd love to see some information on it) in a particular department in a particular town to ALL? Are you for real paisan?

People are fleeing NY because of the taxes imposed to support this garbage.

Wow! Wow! Where do you get this information from?

[Bindare_Dundat]

I live in Chappaqua myself and pay a lot in taxes. I speak only for myself, not on behalf of everyone like you do, and I, like I said before, do not mind paying 15k in property taxes. AT ALL. I have kids attending the 17th best school in the nation, where about 47% of the students end up being accepted in ivy-league schools. The town is kept clean. The last time someone got robbed was back in 1976. I mean, what can I say? If you do not like paying the taxes then you should seriously consider moving to another part of the area. I bet you do not mind getting paid the 15-20% extra for what you sell, compared to other areas of WC, because you live in a prime real estate zone though...   

Like I said, my wife works for the DoE of the city of NY and I can attest PERSONALLY that she IS NOT getting overpaid. She IS NOT. You are LYING.

What does she get paid?

[The Coach]

Hey look at this way......Obama said he was going to lower taxes on the middle class

[Slapper]

What does she get paid?

She's in the 60k range.

[Soul Crusher]

I live in Chappaqua myself and pay a lot in taxes. I speak only for myself, not on behalf of everyone like you do, and I, like I said before, do not mind paying 15k in property taxes. AT ALL. I have kids attending the 17th best school in the nation, where about 47% of the students end up being accepted in ivy-league schools. The town is kept clean. The last time someone got robbed was back in 1976. I mean, what can I say? If you do not like paying the taxes then you should seriously consider moving to another part of the area. I bet you do not mind getting paid the 15-20% extra for what you sell, compared to other areas of WC, because you live in a prime real estate zone though...   

Like I said, my wife works for the DoE of the city of NY and I can attest PERSONALLY that she IS NOT getting overpaid. She IS NOT. You are LYING.


Here is why you are FOS.  You and I both know that people in /yonkers, Mt. Vernon and New Ro pay very high taxes too yet have busing and bad schools. 

Why should you be able to get a better "public education" for your kids than those in Yonkers or /mt /vernon?

Are not those kids just as deserving of a good education?  What if your kids had to get bused to another school yet you still had to pay high taxes??

I sense a lot of NIMBY in your posts.

BTW - do you read lohud.com???

There is a scandal a day with the unions and the gross overtime abuses the taxpayers in Westchester have to deal with.

Read lohud.com and every week a new scandal comes out about the overtime abuse by the unions. 

BTW - New York and CA are losing domestic population to the southern states.

[Slapper]

Here is why you are FOS.  You and I both know that people in /yonkers, Mt. Vernon and New Ro pay very high taxes too yet have busing and bad schools.

Yes, and I agree that you may be overtaxed for the services the town offers, but it is up to you and the rest of the parents to fight with your mayor and his cronies to keep him/her in check. We do that here in the northern part of Westchester County. I am lucky in the sense that I live in a very active community full of lawyers, and accountants and (absolutely) nothing gets through them when a town mandate is brought forth. The mayor KNOWS he is being watched, every document scrutinized and every employee supervised. Once in a while you hear of a maintenance guy milking the OT for a month, but when found out he gets Da Call and end of story. Now, this requires an ACTIVE community, one that does not mind taking a day off to sit at a town hearing for 2 hours and taking notes and actually paying attention and then sharing the knowledge. This is what is missing in some of the hamlets in some other parts of WC.   

Why should you be able to get a better "public education" for your kids than those in Yonkers or /mt /vernon?

And you know what? I agree. Now, why the unions get the blame for the failure of your educational system is beyond me, STILL. Putting the blame of the failure of your education system on the unions is like putting the blame on the Player's Association for the failure of the NBA. Laughable at best. A successful education system requires the active participation from parents. The problem is some parents think schooling is like the military.

BTW - do you read lohud.com???

No I don't. I do know lower Westchester's schools and it's system has deteriorated somewhat.

There is a scandal a day with the unions and the gross overtime abuses the taxpayers in Westchester have to deal with.

Read lohud.com and every week a new scandal comes out about the overtime abuse by the unions.

Look, the only story I've read about union excesses in Chappaqua I've read in Northern Westchester (newspaper) about some sucker who stiffed the system of $ 1,300 by double booking part of his per-session. Heck, Spitzer's sex-related expenses cost a lot more (per jerk mind you).

New York and CA are losing domestic population to the southern states.

And this is because of the unions?  I know the population of the city has stabilized somewhat since the 50s, but it has a lot to do with a whole generation of baby-boomers (aka "snow birds") moving to Florida and some lost souls seeking cheaper real estate (because their companies have moved to Florida or other southern states).