Here is a radical idea: if the developers need all sorts of city services to get their buildings up (you know, City Planning, our elected offiicial's time and attention, etc.) and the taxpayers to ensure that a project is profitable (you know, paying all the infrastructure bills as hospitals, schools, subways, etc) why doesn't the city pass a bill that all projects beyond a certain size must have an 'affordable' component?
A little public pressure on the polticians and no problem, right?
I still like the idea, and will say it over and over again: cut taxes and the breadwinner will have more money for rent which will make housing more affordable for 100,000s overnight.
That tired old "cut taxes" chestnut? Please spare us. The people who really need affordable housing don't pay that much in taxes, so a tax cut might pay for 1/10th of one month's rent. Meanwhile, tax cuts will mean less money for schools and other services.
Please don't "say it over and over again," without telling us exactly how much money your planned tax cut will save a family that's eligible for affordable housing.
Well, if, the entire country has embraced tax cutting ... years ago.
Besides, you would be hard pressed to find a parent that, if given the choice between paying taxes (we all know how efficient the government is, don't we?) and buying something for their kids, or affording something a little extra in housing, guess how they would vote?
They certainly don't go into making the quality of essential services in our city better!
This simplistic broad stroke of "cutting taxes" is as illusionary as Dorothy and the Tin Man dragging themselves to the Emerald City seeking the Wizzard to fix it all....magically!
C-mon folks...let's grow up and use our brains not our sense of anger and frustration!
8 comments:
Here is a radical idea: if the developers need all sorts of city services to get their buildings up (you know, City Planning, our elected offiicial's time and attention, etc.) and the taxpayers to ensure that a project is profitable (you know, paying all the infrastructure bills as hospitals, schools, subways, etc) why doesn't the city pass a bill that all projects beyond a certain size must have an 'affordable' component?
A little public pressure on the polticians and no problem, right?
I still like the idea, and will say it over and over again: cut taxes and the breadwinner will have more money for rent which will make housing more affordable for 100,000s overnight.
That tired old "cut taxes" chestnut? Please spare us. The people who really need affordable housing don't pay that much in taxes, so a tax cut might pay for 1/10th of one month's rent. Meanwhile, tax cuts will mean less money for schools and other services.
Please don't "say it over and over again," without telling us exactly how much money your planned tax cut will save a family that's eligible for affordable housing.
All housing is affordable. It's just a matter of WHO can afford it.
Well, if, the entire country has embraced tax cutting ... years ago.
Besides, you would be hard pressed to find a parent that, if given the choice between paying taxes (we all know how efficient the government is, don't we?) and buying something for their kids, or affording something a little extra in housing, guess how they would vote?
If you want a cut in taxes....move to Podunk!
It's where our NYC taxes go that's a big problem!
They certainly don't go into making the quality of essential services in our city better!
This simplistic broad stroke of "cutting taxes" is as illusionary as Dorothy and the Tin Man dragging themselves to the Emerald City seeking the Wizzard to fix it all....magically!
C-mon folks...let's grow up and use our brains not our sense of anger and frustration!
Well, we have one person who likes paying taxes on this board.
As to the other 99% of us?
The point is the healthiest growth in this country, the place that people are moving to, are places that keep taxes low.
You might add, those are also the places where everthing from building to rent is a hell of a lot cheaper than NYC.
Remember, a signficant factor in the extraordinary cost of housing in this city is the tax component.
And a good deal of our taxes are wasted or used as ice cream money to tweed.
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