Rensselaer
County Taxpayers Association
September 1999 Volume 4, Number 5
Thanks...
This may be premature, but we wish to give our special thanks to all those who have expressed their encouragement to our group for persevering and encouraging the general public to stand up for their rights as free citizens and not be cajoled or misdirected by those of devious mein. If you are right and you know you are right, let nothing or no one beat you down. No one!
Answers
Needed
The Associated Press reported that ACT
(American College Testing) assessment scores gained during the 90's decade.
Currently, the average composite score for 1999 was 21 of a possible 36.
The examination measures student skills in English, math, reading and
science.
During the 1990's, average scores have
risen from 20.6 in 1989 to 21 in 1999. That's
an increase of 0.4 or 1.9%. Educators praised the results when compared with
data for the 60's and 70's. Also,
they take comfort in knowing that a larger number of students now take the test
and that normally the scores decline as participation rises.
In all probability, the increase in the number of students taking the ACT
exam correlates in a positive fashion with the overall student population
increase during the past two decades. For
comparative purposes, the percentage of students participating in the exam is
valid, not the numbers.
In those states where more than half of graduating seniors take the test, the highest score was 22.3, in Wisconsin. In Mississippi, where 82 of each 100 students take the test, a composite score of 18.7 was achieved. In New York State, only 14 of each 100 students took the exam for a composite score of 22. A question to be addressed by Rensselaer County school boards is, "How many students in your schools take the ACT exam?" Also, if the answer is "none," then what type of examination is administered as a means to recognize a student's level of achievement? How do the students in Rensselaer County compare with their peers in other states?
School days, school daze?
Some of the New York City press, on Saturday, August 21, 1999,
highlighted the success, or lack of it, by teachers and students enrolled in the
city's summer school program. The
New York City Board of Education informed the public that roughly 40% of city
students (grades 3, 6 and 8) enrolled in six-week crash courses of reading or
basic math are going to be held back as they failed to reach the required
promotion cutoffs. Paradoxically,
school officials were pleased with the results when compared with national
averages which indicate a failure rate from a low of 30% to the mid-60's.
Rensselaer County school boards of education should inform their constituency of the success or failure rate in remedial summer reading and math programs for comparable students. Additionally, knowing how many students are left behind due to scholastic ineligibility in the core courses of reading and arithmetic would serve as an indication of the level of social promotions ongoing in each district.
Pro
Education
Surprise!
We are for it. Yes our RCTA
approves the proper education of children.
Instead of putting so much money in
playgrounds, bus rides, etc. why not hire an extra teacher who will concentrate
on teaching true American history, specify right from wrong, insist on normal
behavior, decency, respect for others and refuse to knuckle down to unionist
demands for government conformity.
If this catches on, we would have no
need for monitors, police surveillance and "Big Brother' cameras on our
buses.
Most average citizens prefer educated,
normal acting students to graduate into responsible adults who will take their
places in society. We can't be kids
forever and turn to big daddy government every time we are caught in the ram
without an umbrella.
Now is the time to center on the
"business at hand" not frivolities.
Thomas Sowell, PhD in the August 21't edition of The
Times Union put it more succinctly, "Why is it that
as the education in our public schools gets more watered down and worthless,
graduation ceremonies and proms get more elaborate and expensive?"
Something to think about.
Someone named Cuomo in company with a group of sightseers
involved with HUD have just spent a large chunk of public tax money to visit the
Erie Canal corridor. That is:
Buffalo; Rochester; Syracuse; Utica and on down. This whole junket was prior to announcing a 100 million
dollar federal grant to the Canal Region. It
is ostensibly to help the local economy and promote tourism.
"Green Island" Mike McNulty is as happy as a South Troy
politician on Election Day. A little hand rubbing and me-to-ism doesn't hurt.
Let's not mention the Watervliet Arsenal, Eh Mike?
Actually, after being overtaxed for years, it is nice getting back a
nickel on a dollar. The truth is
that New York State sends 8 billion dollars more to Washington than it receives
back in any form.
Could this sudden generosity be a bid for votes for Hillary in a conservative area - (except for Utica)? If our productive citizens were not pauperized by confiscatory taxes, the need for "aid" would not be necessary in the first place. Neither would we have the need for HUD and Cuomo & Co. fostered upon us.
It All Adds Up
It used to be if you earned an honest
dollar, you could look forward to spending most of it.
Maybe even saving a little. This
is no longer true.
A period of relative prosperity has
whetted the appetites of politicians for more of your earnings. We are losing our freedoms in the process.
Government functions, agencies, departments, bureaus, commissions,
collectors, etc. keep coming up with new demands under the guise of
"necessities."
Good example: The New York State
Thruway Authority - It's been paid for over a dozen times. Yet it is a haven for do nothing chair warmers, as tolls go
up. Every move you make is taxed.
We have Income taxes (2), a home mortgage tax, gasoline taxes (2), car
Registration, drivers license, food and beverage taxes, restaurant check, a
January tax (Town, State and County), plus extras; not to forget huge school
taxes. You could add another I 00
items if you think about it.
A
prime example: You purchase a new car for $16,900. The 8% sales tax is $1,352.00 making a total of 18,252 with a
few little extra added in.
We've
got a president who not only believes but publicly stated that government knows
best how to spend your money. The
implication is that you are too stupid to handle your own affairs.
Time to do something about this?
Wrong Again
On
August 19th, President
Clinton and Secretary of Education Riley announced a great new crisis in our
education system. The crisis is
that the baby boom generation has had children in great numbers and that these
children are swelling our school population.
According to Clinton and company, only federal spending can solve the
problem by hiring new teachers and building new schools.
Federal spending is not needed. The crisis is not news nor is it even a crisis. Good schools have already planned for this growth. Federal spending is not needed for education. Local school districts have fairly accurate projections of population growth. Better, we should abolish the federal Education Department and return the tax savings to the people.
SAVE
the Canal
One
of the most flagrant administrations in our history was the Carter years.
As a reward for political contributions, Carter created the cabinet posts
of Commerce, Energy and Education. The
last, solidifying federal control over our public schools.
Economic chaos soon followed which Carter himself named
"Stagflation." Home mortgages were 171/2% and inflation was 21%. The
absolute worst phase was the neglect of our national defense.
Shades of Bill Clinton. The
most devastating aspect of Carter misdeeds was the deceitful treaty purporting
to surrender jurisdiction and control over the Panama Canal by December 1999. Now coming ever closer.
The left wingers in Congress would have you believe that this is a done
deal. Not true.
The initialed agreement was revised but never
ratified by the U.S. Senate. The
Deconcini Reservation is our legal right to retain control over the canal in
perpetuity.
Speak up and protest this giveaway of our national security. Force your Congressmen to obey their oaths of office to protect and defend the USA.
Batter Up!
Recently
a Troy resident attacked a victim with a baseball bat.
This type of crime is becoming more common each day.
The automobile is the number one killer but baseball bats are moving up
the list in the convenience category.
Should
all baseball bats be registered with the police, the FBI, the CIA and Hillary?
How about a license fee and a character check?
A waiting period should be in effect before purchase.
President Clinton will surely see the need for Congress to appropriate a
billion dollars to carry out a program to protect the public.
Vice President Gore wants to add kitchen knives, shovels, hammers and two-by-four's. (Farm implements to be excluded).
Nostalgia
The
ranks of those serving in the military during World War 11 are getting thin.
Most of us are in our late 70's or early 80's. My
wife and I were both 21 when we were married in 1941.
Pearl Harbor came 3 months later and it was certain that the draft would
call. We closed up our honeymoon
apartment in Rensselaer in January 1943 ($15/month rent) and I spent three years
in the Army. When I was discharged
in 1946 a weeks supply of groceries for two cost 35 cents.
We bought a house in Rensselaer and took a $2400 mortgage at 4.5%. We
bought our first new Studebaker in 1949 for less than $2000. (No sales tax) In
1950 we bought 10 acres of land in East Greenbush for $1200. Lawyer's fee $25, Survey $30.
We built a new home and moved in in 1952. Our school tax in 1953 was $99 and the Town and County tax
was $67.
What
is in store for the young couples starting out in 1999.
Will they look back in 2050 and happily remember when they only paid
$4000 property tax. Will they look back and remember that their first new car
cost only $15,000 plus $1,200 tax? Will
they remember when the government took only 50% of their income in tax money?
Will their property tax be 20 times larger in 2050?
Will 80% of their income be required to run the ever growing government?
These
are scary thoughts and all taxpayers
should do their best to vote for
fiscal conservatives when you cast your vote this November.
RR
The wise speak out against the excesses of the tax vultures.
Tax
Cuts!
The
media is filled with articles about tax cuts, surpluses, budget overruns, etc.
To the average citizen this is not only confusing but frustrating.
They have no where to turn for redress.
The answer to most of this is simplicity itself.
Our financial problems are caused by overspending, whether it's Federal,
State, local or school districts. In
nine cases out of ten, irresponsibles who should know better have forgotten or
do not wish to be reminded of the fact that it is not "their" money
they are so generously handing out for questionable reasons but is the largess
of normal, hard working people. If
the taxes required were limited to absolute necessities there would not now be a
need for cuts. How is it some
states do not have income taxes or sales taxes?
The
first thing to eliminate at the state level is "member items." These
are discretionary funds set aside for politicians to butter up certain groups
for political support. The public
must realize that it is their tax money that is siphoned off for partisan
political reasons and borders on thievery.
Other states have a unicameral (one body) legislature and far fewer
legislators proportionately, to carry on the business of State. They seem to do just fine and have far fewer
"problems." The inability of NY to come up with a budget by April 1 of
each year points out the necessity for drastic change in the way NYS does
business. The answer lies in our
NYS Constitution which is constantly violated and allows those so called public
officials to perform in a manner that should not be allowed.
One
glaring example is the recent 38% pay raise engineered by State officials who
now receive $79,000 plus perks, lu-lu's, chairmanship stipends, travel expenses
not to mention "special attention" from lobbyists.
They are now getting into the same bracket as our academicians.
Charter schools resulted in a deal between the good ole boys to come up
with the pay raise. Charter schools
can't be all that bad since Fred LeBrun opposes them so violently.
Jesse
Ventura has the right idea, speak out truthfully and honestly and let the chips
fall where they may.
RCTA
PO Box 145
East Greenbush, NY 12061
Once we outlaw hand guns next to follow
will be motor cars, knives, baseball bats and dirty looks.
East Greenbush Resident
Welcome to the new diner on Route 4. A
little variety.
North Greenbush Resident
On Columbia Turnpike with a 40 mph
speed limit everybody is driving close to 60 mph.
What speed will they drive if the limit is raised to 55 mph?
East Greenbush Resident
Why not sell the oversized bus garage
in Averill Park and give the taxpayers a break?
Averill Park Resident
New York State has the dubious
distinction of being the highest taxed state with the highest electricity rates.
Troy Resident
The Ford Motor Company is now investing
a large sum of money to build cars in Russia.
Lets hear it from the UAW.
Nassau Resident
A writer resents that a minority party
was favored with a town hall position in the Court Clerk’s office.
Hampton Manor Resident