file photo by Boyd Loving
“The ONLY way to keep property taxes from rising exponentially is to encourage long time residents with no children in the schools to stay put. We do not ask for anything other than basic services such as police, fire, and plowing the snow and picking up leaves. Many of us spend time at our summer or winter homes, in order to meet the 181 day requirement to be a resident of a more tax friendly state so we don’t even vote here . Of the 14 homes on my block, only 6 have school age children. If you chase the other 8 homeowners out with higher taxes, chances are about 100% that the purchasers of these homes will have children, so add 12-15 students to the roster. Due to cheap interest rates the homes are more affordable to more buyers who struggle with a big mortgage for 10 years while their kids are in school, then bail out as soon as they graduate . I grew up here and historically empty nesters would stay since it is a nice place to live. The trend of turnover has been accelerated by these people who are “marginal” by financial qualifications who need to bail out and go back to cheaper living such as a small condo in mahwah or renting in NYC.
The old timers ask for very little. Do us a favor and keep the charm of the village. Keep your dumb lawn signs off the property , rake your leaves so they don’t blow in my yard ,fix the peeling paint on your house, and keep your rubbish barrels in the back yard.
Or chase us out and your kids will be on split sessions unless you want a huge tax increase to expand the school”
All these dumb lawns signs are tacky as hell. Ridgewood music? Wtf is that? That dumb “r” signe? Those stupid “25 alive”? Really tacky looking. How are they allowed.? I thought only political signs were allowed ? And that should be limited to a month before the election,,. The dopey democrats had their “josh” signs littering the to town since July . And I still see the stupid support teacher signs . Clean it up
Amen.
Agree. But it will never change. I have kids in the school and along with most of my friends we have 2-3 years left and then we are out!! It’s sad having grown up here but the politics of past and some present along with the over paid and self serving management in some dept in village hall it’s not worth it. When the people we pay as tax payers work against us you know something isn’t right. Get out while your house is worth something. I agree once we all move out because of taxes and poor management starting at the top offices at village hall especially parks and rec and the BOE the town will crash and burn. Sadly!
History will show that the point of no return was when we let a small group of know-it-alls have an outsized impact on issues they knew nothing about.
It’s the taxes. If it were affordable many without kids would stay.
Every few years we have outspoken new residents who feel that “For the taxes I pay” the Village should have a cement pool, a bigger and better library, a performing arts center or some other frivolous thing. Taxes are not raised to fulfill your dreams.
How about letting empty nesters rent out a room to help pay the ugh taxes. We seem to get less for higher taxes. Maybe a tax break to keep seniors to stay put.
How about letting empty nesters rent out a room to help pay the ugh taxes. We seem to get less for higher taxes. Maybe a tax break to keep seniors to stay put.