In a message dated 9/26/06 12:01:04 AM, Chris writes:

Chris,

At risk of extending this thread to absurd lengths, I live in a small
community in the Hudson Valley, about 50 miles north of New York. The Tappan
Zee/Haverstraw Bay area is a very active boating venue and about a dozen
marinas, some
very large, are in the area. New York is by no means a low tax state.
Residents pay real property taxes based on the value of land and improvements
primarily to support local communities. Some taxes also go to the county. We
pay no
personal property taxes other than registration and use fees on automobiles
and
boats. The state allows individual assessments by taxing districts which are
not congruent with political boundaries. We get billed independently for
school taxes, water taxes, library taxes, and sewer taxes. Some funds are
given for
fire and police protection by the state but the fire departments are
volunteer services. Big cities have their own tax structure but all taxes must
be
state approved.

In addition to the property taxes and individual assessments, we pay a state
income tax based on the Federal return. Cities are allowed to levy their own
income taxes on anyone working within the city limits whether you live there
or
not. In addition there is a statewide sales tax, a county sales tax, and a
municipal sales tax, totaling 8.5%. And you can't escape taxes even when you
die
because there is a substantial inheritance tax.

Because of unfunded educational mandates imposed by the federal and state
governments, our local school district must raise $40,000,000 annually from a
community with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants. Our per/pupil costs are nearly
$20,000 per year and we are about in the middle of the pack of educational
costs
in surrounding communities. Legally we are required to provide services to any
child living in the district. Each child from parents do not pay local taxes
costs the community a substantial amount of money which must be transferred to
other taxpayers. Clearly the problem is not due entirely to liveaboards but to
all non-taxpaying residents, whether illegal immigrants, or children of
servicemen living on a nearby military reservation. Liveaboards, however,
represent
a portion of the population that is controllable - and since they often have
obvious signs of wealth (their boats), they are targeted. This is the same
logic used to mandate holding tanks to reduce water pollution while hordes of
geese and fish are allowed to poop in the waters without restraint. A partial
solution is better than no solution at all.

Do I fully agree with the above? Not at all. I would like to see an end to
archaic tax codes and division of communities into factions. I personally
would
like to see taxes levied on all income at a flat rate and elimination of the
patchwork of local property, sales, and use taxes. With regard to public
education, I would like it fully supported by the federal government with
uniform
national educational standards and no unfunded mandates. Then you could cruise
where you like and live aboard to your heart's content. You would be paying
your fair share.

And there is plenty of snow in the winter in New York. It has some of the
best skiing in the country.

Larry Z

this thread is not absurdely long, when you accuse live aboards of being
free loaders, surely you got to expect some questions...

i'm trying to understand how it can cost between $6000 and $12000  to send a
kid to a private school in SF, for quality education, small class size...
yet it cost $20k in your school district ?  for public shools and likely
crowded classrooms ?

seems like you shoudl blame your local officials for not running a tight
ship...

pascal
miami, fl
livingaboard in a marina, knowing my nearly $1000 monthly slip fees help pay
property taxes...

----- Original Message -----
From: LRZeitlin@aol.com
To: trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: T&T: More on taxes