Sloatsburg reader sees special surcharge to fund North Rockland District as taxation without representation

To the Editor,

Recently New York State Senator James Skoufis presented an idea for tax relief in the North Rockland School district. Simply put his idea involves a one dollar surcharge for parking at Bear Mountain State Park/along with other surcharges unnamed.. This would mean people from outside the North Rockland District would be paying school taxes in the district without representation. If I am forced to pay school taxes to North Rockland then I want a vote on their budget, as well, along with a review to determine how my money is spent.

According to the New York State comptroller 26 school districts are in financial distress. Many of these districts are far less affluent and in more need than North Rockland District. In North Rockland it’s not that residents can’t pay the school tax, it’s a situation where they simply don’t want to pay higher school taxes and are seeking for others from outside the district to pay their tax burden. If Senator Skoufis’s bill is passed this may set a precedent where the other 25 school districts in distress will look to add surcharges to state parks around the state. Perhaps this will open the door on additional surcharges, perhaps bridge toll surcharges or any number of other surcharges.

The bottom line is that school taxes need to be funded from with in the district. The district has no jurisdiction over state parks or bridges and tolls, and as a result should not consider seeking funds from people outside their district, to fund their tax burden.

Sincerely,
Dave Veraja
Sloatsburg

  James Skoufis, North Rockland District, sloatsburg