Less Is More - Good afternoon everyone! - During the last few weeks and months New York's governor was campaigning just like everyone else who was politically striving towards victory in this fall's election period. Among other topics, Governor Cuomo mentioned the fact that the State of NY had the highest taxes in the whole of America and talked about Property Taxes to be lowered as a consequence. Frankly, I don't think, Property Taxes is the main culprit here. Hearing no word whatsoever about School Taxes truly makes me wonder why? "Whoever touches that hot iron is out", so my husband laconically. Have the schools or rather the teachers' unions in this state really become that powerful and untouchable already that every politician basically cringes just at the thought of bringing it up as the main issue here? It certainly seems like that to me. As we all know, School Taxes are on average at least 30 to 50% higher than Property Taxes here, and it sure looks like nothing is ever going to change about that. Every year they keep audaciously asking the poor parents for more and more subsidies. What for though? The bigger a school complex becomes, obviously the harder it gets to keep a clear perspective on certain significant criteria such as the students', teachers' and school staffers' safety. I don't mind saying it again, but there's just no need whatsoever for any of those humongous sports facilities, auditoriums, stadiums, theaters, etc. Plain and simple, the true purpose of schooling should still be teaching rather than distracting the kids through means of multiple recreational activities. Building, maintaining and remodeling colossal structures and compounds as seems to be the norm in North America quite logically requires tons and tons of money. Again I'd like to know what for when American students are in fact faring worse than ever on an international level? Over and over again, the saying "less is more" seems to have perfectly proven the point, and yet the State of NY is now apparently trying to defy this piece of wisdom once more. Whopping $2 billion schools are presently borrowing from the State of NY which allegedly does not have that kind of money at all. $2 billion are reportedly needed to update all the school electronic systems. There are schools requesting up to $5 million for just that! Go and figure! I need not say that I am quite at a loss for words here. All those costly upgrades will be entirely outdated the latest in 5 to 10 years. What then, I wonder? Another $10 billion fix needed maybe? None of these technologies are likely to get any cheaper in the future. Besides, it's all getting more complex and expansive anyway. There will just never be an end to that, as I see it. That's my prognosis judging from this bottomless pit. In my opinion, this is exactly the kind of craze which will along with the totally blown- out- of- proportion like welfare being eventually break the national bank and consequently ruin this country. If I were politically ambitious enough to stick my neck out, I would only promise to work on realistically feasible tax caps but certainly not eliminate the biggest ticket item. Trying to bring tax reliefs to the poor and poorest citizens should be on every politician's work agenda and not just remain an empty promise. I do believe that Mr. Cuomo is absolutely right claiming that this state's taxation base is the highest in the country, and I would also like to believe that he's honest about his attempt to sweep house and get a grip on all the ongoing political corruption. However, in my opinion, this also includes courageously dealing with this apparently oh so hyper- sensitive topic of astronomical school taxation in this state. Property taxes, I feel, are much more justified considering all the public services provided such as garbage disposal, water treatment, police surveillance etc. School Taxes in the State of NY though, are generally set way too high and do not compare to what you get in return. US students are by no means any smarter or more literate than their peers elsewhere. Rather on the contrary, alone the fact that they're actually falling behind ever the more should be enough of an eye- opener for real and profound changes - monetary ones included. Back to the roots people! More actual schooling and teaching students necessary and useful knowledge rather than distracting them and at the same time letting morals and manners slide would actually pay off and definitely not cost an arm and a leg.
College or no college - That's the question Now the time is here again for high school graduates to venture off to college and university. I still, to this day, remember being thrilled and overly excited to start as a fresh(wo)man in a new place where studying would go hand in glove with partying for the next few years. I love to see every one's kids swarm out and flock together in college districts and on student campus terrains. Most teenagers get accepted somewhere even though often at second or third choice sites, but they will all have to face one and the same question which is, at what price? Unless you are granted a scholarship, three years and plus of college education costs you an arm and a leg, and if you keep going for more profound specialization, you will be in debts up your neck by the time you have got your PhD. Then what? Go and spit out job applications like a ball machine hoping that someone is going to hire you - unless of course you were lucky eno...
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