Citing new responsibilities as Ithaca deputy police chief, Dryden school board member John Curatolo resigned from the board Monday night. Curatolo has been on the board for five and a half years. The board has 90 days to appoint someone to fill the position.
The Journal's editorial looks at the problem of climbing property taxes. It's a strange editorial in some ways, posing problems without a solution. At least they acknowledge that it's an issue with roots at the state, and not just local level, and even acknowledge Washington's involvement earlier in the editorial. The conclusion punts:
Forget politics or sacred cows. All new ideas must be entertained. All old programs and services must be carefully reviewed. Something must be done, soon, or there will be too little left for too few of us to resurrect when the great Empire State tax war is done.
Unfortunately, saying property taxes need to come down doesn't make them come down. It reminds me too much of Republican claims in the last election that fresh eyes on the budget would be able to find savings that no one's found so far.
Talking about specific changes is guaranteed to annoy people, but that's the conversation we need to have, rather than praying for deliverance from taxes.
Posted by simon at November 17, 2005 8:20 AM in Ithaca Journal , public finance , schools (Dryden)