News Channel 9 – WSYR
Syracuse
A group of teachers, parents and students gathered outside the State Office Building in downtown Syracuse to protest Governor Cuomo’s plan to expire the so-called millionaire’s tax.
Under the Governor’s plan, an 8.97 percent tax rate applying to people making more than $200,000 per year would expire on December 31. The top rate would then drop to 6.85 percent and apply to everyone making more than $20,000.
With a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit and school aid reductions forcing huge layoffs and program cuts at schools, the educators who protested in Syracuse on Tuesday say now is not the time to give the richest New Yorker’s a break. They are actually the same group that hopped on a bus and took their message to Albany just a week ago. They wanted Governor Cuomo to hear their message.
“I’m very concerned because we just met with some legislators last Friday and I do not feel that they heard us very well. They seem to be passing the buck,” said Linda Meredith, of the Central Square Teacher’s Union.
“It’s just so unfair,” said school nurse Ann O’Hara. “I want to see our kids succeed and it’s not going to happen if they keep taking things away from us. If they expect our kids to do better with less, it’s just not going to happen.”
Now, the same protestors are hoping their legislators will take notice. Some Assembly Democrats, including Bill Magnarelli, have.
According to Magnarelli’s office, the State Assembly is now discussing a plan that would extend the highest rate to those making $1 million or more. It would raise about $706 million in 2011 and 2012. The following year, it would raise $2.65 billion.
Of that, the Assembly wants 30 percent to go to education, something the educators gathered in downtown Syracuse say needs to happen.
Republicans, who control the State Senate, are on board with the Governor. Cuomo has promised to close the state’s $10 billion budget gap through spending cuts, not raising taxes.
Any plan to extend the tax would have to pass both houses and be signed by the Governor.
The budget deadline for the Legislature is April 1.
Among the voices, however, stood a lone supporter of the school aid cuts. Linda Grindrod thinks too much is already being spent on students and she says throwing more money at schools isn’t the solution. “I have four kids, two of which have already moved out of the state because of the high taxes and the other two will probably move too,” she said.
