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The Child Care Crisis: History and Examples from Across the United States
Song Lee — Sep 3, 2024
This report by Community Foundation for Greater 2024 Buffalo High Road Fellow, Song Lee shares the history and status of child care in the United States. The report defines the care economy, analyzes the child care crisis, reviews past federal and state efforts for universal child care, and proposes potential solutions.
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The Rich Don't Pay But You Do: The City's Free Rides for the Rich, An Analysis of City of Buffalo Property Tax Revenue
Our City Buffalo, Kevin Connor — Jun 15, 2024
The City of Buffalo is facing a significant financial crisis – including a projected gap of $41 to $55 million next year – that could have a major destabilizing impact on the city and its residents in the coming years. Significant cuts to city services and further property tax and fee increases are likely looming. The city’s residents could see a further deterioration of essential services like snow plowing and street and sidewalk maintenance even as they are asked to pay more …
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Comptroller's Review of the Costs of Real Property Tax Assessment in Erie County
Mark Poloncarz — Mar 25, 2008
The New York State Office of Real Property Services (“NYSORPS”) has stated that “New York's property tax system is, arguably, the most complex and confusing in the country.” NYSORPS data show that there are 1,133 distinct assessing units in New York State, as contrasted with 59 in California. Only the State of Michigan has more assessing units than New York State. In Erie County, thirty (30) municipal governments consisting of cities, towns and villages …
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The Control Boards: Time for an Objective Review and Real Reforms
Mark Poloncarz Mar 18, 2008
Justifications for the Buffalo and Erie County control boards usually depend on two false premises: (i) the problem is “bloated” and “inefficient” city and county government; and (ii) the solution is to add another layer of government composed of non-elected, state-appointed officials. The typical commentary lumps all local elected officials together, ignoring large differences between different politicians and between the city and county. It ignores the big …
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Local Taxes in New York State: Easing the Burden
Wende A. Mix Dec 6, 2007
The months between the fall of 2007 and the adoption of New York State’s next annual budget in March 2008 are a critical juncture in the efforts to “fix Albany.” The process by which the next budget is prepared and debated, as well as the substantive decisions it embodies, are critical to the movement for political and fiscal reform in New York State. In order to promote fiscal reform, the Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) is convening three separate agenda-setting …
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Taxes in New York State: Restoring Fairness and Equity to the Personal Income Tax to Reverse Decades of Reliance on the Property Tax- Short and Long Term Solutions
Ron Deutsch — Dec 31, 2006
Governor Spitzer created a Property Tax Commission to examine the root causes of high property taxes in NYS.