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TAXES

The goal is not NO TAXES.  The goal, of course, is an ACCEPTABLE RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT in the form of good government and quality services.  The good news is we can pay less taxes in Buffalo and in New York State and receive a far better return than we do now. 

In Buffalo, we can lower our taxes by adding people.   We need to re-populate to reduce our tax burden.  There are inefficiencies to be addressed to be sure, but we do not need fewer services, less libraries, or scaled back maintenance of our parks or our streets.   We need to invest our creativity and our money into our schools and our waterfront and implement sensible urban planning.  If we do, we will be able to attract and keep families.  

As I have suggested elsewhere on this site, Buffalo lives or dies on the basis of our public schools, but there is huge potential for improvement in many areas. 

When one of our colleges or UB is looking for a place for a new department, we must build it in downtown Buffalo.  The list of missed opportunities is long and we can't afford to let it get any longer.

Our waterfront must be leveraged to its full potential.  After all, it is the reason Buffalo is here.   It needs shops and restaurants.  It needs residential development.   But whatever investment we make in our waterfront needs to benefit our local economy in order to benefit our tax base and our long term recovery.

To address tax injustice in New York State, here are three places to start.

1.  The stock transfer tax
2.  Our National Guard
3.  Reform of the tax code to ensure that corporations pay their fair share.  

The third is self-explanatory.   Not only must our tax system be a progressive one, loopholes for corporations must be closed. 

The stock transfer tax, which is an existing part of the tax code, is a small fraction of a percent which NYS collects on each transaction on Wall Street.   Since 1981, however,  New York State has been rebating this revenue--now over $16 billion annually-- back to Wall Street.   This money belongs to the taxpayers of New York State.   The rebate must end now.

Our National Guard needs to be on reserve in New York State in case we need them.   A majority of Americans want our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan and recognize that our involvement in those countries has been a mistake.   While the human suffering on all sides of these conflicts is immeasurable, the amount of money the American people have spent on these misadventures--much of which we've had to borrow and pay interest on-- has been nothing short of atrocious, and grows by the second.    costofwar.com  

Wisdom and common sense must be employed any time we commit our troops or our tax dollars, and if elected, I will endeavor to bring both to Albany.