Who Knew?

Monday, 17 November 2008 09:27

I must admit, I did not expect all of the media attention I received over the past few days, not to mention the razzing I'm taking at my diner. But it's pretty cool that average citizens are checking out www.stopthetaxshift.org and sending in emails of support. No doubt about it, this is just another sign that property taxes are a real problem in New York. I am glad that people are concerned and that awareness is being raised, but we've got to find a way to tackle this problem head on.

Since my blog is part of StopTheTaxShift.org, I've been spending some time checking out the web site. What surprised me was the huge number of "state mandates" that stop local governments from doing what we, the taxpayers, really want. I've heard Empire Falls' mayor talk about mandates before, but it didn't seem like a big deal until I read just how many there are.

Since local governments are "the government closest to the people," I think it only makes sense that local officials should have the flexibility to run government the way they think will best serve the residents of their community. Mandates from other governments interfere with what is meant to be a direct connection between local officials and the people.

With a slow economy and high taxes, now is the time to get rid of some of the dozens of state mandates in New York. These mandates might help certain special interest groups but they don't benefit the most important special interest group of all - the taxpayer. New York just can't afford this anymore.

The Wicks Law

The Mandate: The Wicks Law - a construction mandate dating back to 1912 - was put into place to promote competition and protect workers' rights. Named for Senator Arthur Wicks who sponsored a bill to expand the law in 1946, the Wicks Law requires that, under General Municipal Law § 101, state and local government construction projects (including school district construction projects) costing more than $3 million in New York City, $1.5 million in Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, and $500,000 in the rest of the state are subject to separate plumbing, heating/ventilation/air conditioning and electrical contracts. This requirement has proven to be one of the most onerous mandates facing local governments.