Statement by Rye Town Supervisor and Congressional Candidate
Joe Carvin on Disturbing New Property Tax Data for
Westchester and Rockland Counties
"Westchester and Rockland Families Hit with Triple Whammy of Higher Taxes, Falling Property Values, and Drop in Median Income"
September 20, 2012
" Decades of irresponsible spending and unfunded mandates -- both at the federal and state level -- have caught up with the families of Westchester and Rockland counties. Today we learned that Westchester is the first county in our nation's history to surpass the median property tax rate of $10,000. Westchester is once again the highest property-taxed county in America, and Rockland is right behind it at #3, with a median tax burden of $9,376.
"Those numbers tell only part of the story, though. Our families have been hit with a triple-whammy: At the same time property taxes were going up 12.5% in Westchester and 11% in Rockland from 2008-'11, property values fell by about 15% in Westchester and about 14% in Rockland, while median incomes fell by more than 3%, making it harder and harder to meet these tax burdens.
"The new Census Bureau data merely formalizes what Rockland and Westchester families already know and feel: Our government has badly failed us and we are paying the price through higher property taxes, lower home values, and falling incomes. Well-intentioned career politicians like my opponent have spent this state and nation to its knees; we can no longer sustain their policies in office."
As Rye Town Supervisor Mr. Carvin has reduced the size of government by 25% since taking office in 2008, and he has lowered taxes every year he has been in office. He has also refused to accept the $17,000 salary the town supervisor position provides and is leading the charge to restructure local government because the current tax structure is "patently unsustainable".
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