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New Yorkers:
Welcome to the new Straight Talk From the Taxpayer IdeaScale community. If you were previously a member of our community, your account may have been deactivated during our technical update process. Please reregister and join the conversation!
Thank you for your patience,
- The Governor's Office
This web feature is the public arm of Governor Paterson’s Office of Taxpayer Accountability. It allows you - the taxpayer - to submit your own ideas, discuss and comment on other taxpayers’ ideas, and vote the best ideas to the top of the list. We are looking for ideas that will save taxpayer dollars, provide property tax relief, and promote government efficiency, performance, accountability and transparency.
We ask that you act in good faith and assume good faith on the part of others. Respect your colleagues even if you may not agree with them. Be civil. Avoid personal attacks, and sweeping generalizations. The site is moderated to ensure civility, so submitted ideas will not appear right away. We reserve the right to delete any posts that violate these terms. The Office of Taxpayer Accountability is open and welcoming of your input.
So, be bold in contributing to help make New York a better State!
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I suggest that come nov. you think of the words corruption and incombent. Vote for a new kind of person one who is not yet in the thick of ...more »
I suggest that come nov. you think of the words corruption and incombent. Vote for a new kind of person one who is not yet in the thick of
things in Albany. Make NY a new place to live. You certainly can't comfortably live here now
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Really take a hard look at school spending and start implementing changes from the top down. There is so much waste in public schools that ...more »
Really take a hard look at school spending and start implementing changes from the top down. There is so much waste in public schools that it is beyond comprehension. I do in fact work in a public school system and know first hand what I am talking about. No one likes to see lay-offs but sometimes they are the way to reduce unnecessary spending. Having been laid off twice from a school position I also know what I am talking about in this instance.
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state correction officers are retiring in record numbers and now leglislation has passed to allow more liquad vacation days on retirement fo ...more »
state correction officers are retiring in record numbers and now leglislation has passed
to allow more liquad vacation days on retirement for extra years served. save your money that wont work. what is wanted and needed is respect and dignity for this dangerous job.
try this instead: hold your prison administrators accountable for managing the prisons with respect.security staff is scorned by civilian leadership which is the new trend.nurses maintenance men and facility stewards becoming superintendants because of civilian commissioners appointed by the governors. treat staff with respect. stop being demeaning to security staff...make them feel like they matter and youll save money. you wont need to offer more vacation days..they will want to work longer.
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I suggest that you delete the Universal Pre-K program from the budget or change the parameters. When this program began it was intended to ...more »
I suggest that you delete the Universal Pre-K program from the budget or change the parameters. When this program began it was intended to allow lower income families to get free tuition at preschools. Now, the program is open to everyone, regardless of income, and must be done by a lottery system. Therefore, the family making a ton of money has the same chance to get a slot as the low income family who really needs the help. I object to having my tax dollars go to these weathly families just looking for free tuition.
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We desperately need both a property tax cap, and reformation of the way we distribute our school tax burden. We must be innovative and follo ...more »
We desperately need both a property tax cap, and reformation of the way we distribute our school tax burden. We must be innovative and follow other lower tax states examples on how to provide quality education, while simultaneously lowering our insane tax burden. The time for both property tax relief, and reform is now. I am sure most suggestions will revolve around those principles.
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Lower the amount of money given to people on welfare. people are making a living on having multiple children and us tax payers are paying fo ...more »
Lower the amount of money given to people on welfare. people are making a living on having multiple children and us tax payers are paying for their food, houses, daycare ..ect. for being in a budget crisis cut these people off or do a better job at seeing who really needs it.
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cut down on high paid administrators in all state depts.first of all there are plenty of mid to high level supervisors who actually know wha ...more »
cut down on high paid administrators in all state depts.first of all there are plenty of mid to high level supervisors who actually know whats going on.in the dept of corrections for example..you have sergents above them lieutenants and captains. sergeants are first line and lieutenants are the shift commanders overseeing almost everything.the 3 deputy superintendents and superintendents are not at all vital..some of them can be condensed without facilities ever missing a beat. its been top heavy for years and probably will never change....what a waiste!
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Keep in mind, no matter what party you are with. We might have to think Tea Party come Nov.
Change has got to happen
Education should be funded at the state level. School taxes, as well as local property taxes must be capped in order for new york state to r ...more »
Education should be funded at the state level. School taxes, as well as local property taxes must be capped in order for new york state to remain competitive. We must see how other states control their tax situations, and become a leader in innovative taxing solutions. New York State must cut their state spending dramatically, but more than anything we need meaningful tax reform immediately. Record numbers of New Yorker's leave this state every single year, it is because we have lost our competitive edge. It no longer makes financial sense for a business to locate in New York. We have some of the highest electric and water rates, and the highest taxes in the country. If we do not wake up soon, we are on the verge of a collapse of New York State.
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in regards to the article about self serving administrators issuing notice of disciplines to state workers.its not only the corrections dept ...more »
in regards to the article about self serving administrators issuing notice of disciplines to state workers.its not only the corrections dept, but i have a friend who is a parole officer in the midstate region who is suspended WITHOUT pay.. the case is so obviously a case of vandictiveness it will slap the judge/arbitrator in the face. the state is hoping the emploiyee takes a deal and signs off,but she wont....again state tax dollars wasted on a vandictive boss with little evidence of any infraction worthy of the financial impact to this poort family not to mention lost cash for the costly hearings.. WHEN will the state stop letting these bosses do this....its a disgrace to everyone involved.GOVERNORS DO YOUR JOBS...oversee these. have an objective panel review these cases and make sure the charges are real and serious enough to go wasting money and impacting peopl'e lives...have some morals!
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Currently under VTL 1806 it is no longer necessary for state trooper to show up in court for a traffic ticket, unless there is a trial. ...more »
Currently under VTL 1806 it is no longer necessary for state trooper to show up in court for a traffic ticket, unless there is a trial. However, this change has not gone through to other to state police entities such SUNY Police (definitely), New York State Park Police (maybe) and Environmental Conversation Officers. I think the law was changed partially so the state and municipalities could save on police overtime, but it is not be implemented consistently. I realize the Executive may not have control over all of these police entities, but I think it is something you should look into. Thanks!
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to the person stating that he dosnt know why discipline of employees causes waste....you have to pay the employee if they are not suspended ...more »
to the person stating that he dosnt know why discipline of employees causes waste....you have to pay the employee if they are not suspended a days wage for going to the hearing, you then have to replace them at the facility usually on overtime. all the employee witnesses called to the hearing are paid their usual wage and they have to be replaced usually with overtime. if the hearing is in a further location because of promotion or transfer, you have to give the employee milage.. union people have to be paid.. bottom line is in these agencies are alot of vandictive bosses who has an ego to feed. the dept of corrections loses most of their disciplinary cases the arbitrators and judges usually drop the charges because that level of discipline was not warrented.
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Make it illegal for stores to ID someone who is NOT buying alcohol. Why does it make sense for me to lose the right to purchase alcohol if ...more »
Make it illegal for stores to ID someone who is NOT buying alcohol. Why does it make sense for me to lose the right to purchase alcohol if someone standing next to me does not have ID? If my goal was to distribute alcohol to a minor, it would not be very difficult to ask them to wait outside the store...
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Create jobs for welfare recipients by knocking down delapidaded properties. Give tax breaks to non-welfare receipients who participate with ...more »
Create jobs for welfare recipients by knocking down delapidaded properties. Give tax breaks to non-welfare receipients who participate with skilled labor.
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state agencies need to stop issuing notices of discipline like candy..they should be reserved for the uttermost difficult employees who have ...more »
state agencies need to stop issuing notices of discipline like candy..they should be reserved for the uttermost difficult employees who have committed very serious acts or omissions.they cost taxpayers alot of money .missed work hours on arbitration hearings, travel pay etc...most of the time they come from vandictive administrators..its out of control.the director of labor relations needs to be realistic as to how serious the offense is and is there evidence.in my case i refused to take a deal and was completely innocent after a higher up ordered me to change a task, i did so and it didnt go his way.he lied then wrote me up and denied he told me to do it even though i had proof he did. because i grieved the write up and fought it, the chief administrator arranged an N.O.D. which i received asking for 30 days suspension with no pay. all of this after years of excellent and outstanding evals and years of service there. i refused to take a deal because the n.o.d would have been in my record forever and i was innocent. after 3 hearings with a judge costing replacement of me and others and creating overtime and travel pay, i was found not guilty on all charges including falsifying statements for denying the accusations.all of this because of a vandictive administrator teaching me a lesson about taking a hit for the team. this goes on all the time. now ask yourself....is this corruption and self serving of ego? you need more scrutiny of these..what a waiste and also abussive.
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get rid of superintendants in the state prisons...have 1 hub super. that covers all of them..they dont do much other than look for reasons t ...more »
get rid of superintendants in the state prisons...have 1 hub super. that covers all of them..they dont do much other than look for reasons to discipline employees to justify their existance,and they make 125,000 - 160,000 each..there are approx. 70 of them...do the math its a no brainer. the captains, Lts and Sgts dont need them.
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Force welfare recipients to "volunteer" a certain number of hours to improve their community in order to get their check. Even though they ...more »
Force welfare recipients to "volunteer" a certain number of hours to improve their community in order to get their check. Even though they receive a check each month they will feel that they are working for free and many will go out and get a real job.
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i feel that this web site was reconstructed in order to get rid of all the esposing articles that were here. there was some very good and tr ...more »
i feel that this web site was reconstructed in order to get rid of all the esposing articles that were here. there was some very good and true exposure of many agencies that need correcting...ESPECIALLY the state corrections dept. no one that i know has seen any change at all there. you should just close this...its just a smoke screen anyway.
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in regards to state employees paying state taxes, and to answer the question posed by one writer of: are they special....well special no..bu ...more »
in regards to state employees paying state taxes, and to answer the question posed by one writer of: are they special....well special no..but we do things normal employees dont have to..state corrections officers have to go down state for sometimes years and work their way home. they live in rooms and eat out of cans, then travel hundreds of miles home to see their families...many of us die on the road at young ages because of excessive travel. inside we get spit at assaulted and have enormous pressures from administrators, all while keeping you and society safe.we usually get little or no recognition. if you or others are willing to work and sacrafice that hard, then you too will deserve not to have to pay state taxes when you retire either..oh, one more thing..dont worry about it because very few get to see their pensions.the average life span of a state corrections security staff member is 56
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i suggest you poloticians stop feeding your own egos with your never ending hunger for power and greed and start thinking about our young pe ...more »
i suggest you poloticians stop feeding your own egos with your never ending hunger for power and greed and start thinking about our young people who arnt going to have a future because of all of you.dems and repubs. your all the same.these young people in their late 20s and early 30s are acting like we did at 18. they party and live at home with mommy and daddy when they should have already been putting into the system i.e. social sec. etc..for years they have no or little hope of job quality. you poloticians have broken all the positive things america used to be...sad! and be sure that there will be some liberal judge waiting to make another foolish decision on something that will teach more bad morals to our children..are there any decent humans left to run things or elect..!?
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Right now you can get your driving record online. Most traffic ticket today are electronic-OCA and DMV both have access to them. I think D ...more »
Right now you can get your driving record online. Most traffic ticket today are electronic-OCA and DMV both have access to them. I think DMV should set up a site where you can search for your lost ticket and you pay to find and print. You could charge $10 per search. I think it would be a good way for state to raise revenue.
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Tax 20% of security transactions fees made by traders, brokerage firms. They currently get 100% of their tax back.
Eliminate or scale down the Consumer Advisory Board, a state-funded group whose job is to advocate for the rights of the rapidly diminishing ...more »
Eliminate or scale down the Consumer Advisory Board, a state-funded group whose job is to advocate for the rights of the rapidly diminishing Willowbrook Class beneficiaries. The CAB has outlived its usefulness and often oversteps its bounds, and its function is duplicated by several other entities. If it is still required due to court order, the remaining functions could be done by far fewer CAB members, who occupy valuable budget lines and office space while contributing little to the wellbeing of the Willowbrook Class members.
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Sell voter-approved status "items" that do not cost the government anything. For example, if a company or millionaire wants to name a stree ...more »
Sell voter-approved status "items" that do not cost the government anything. For example, if a company or millionaire wants to name a street after himself and taxpayers agree to a given street naming sale, it could go for for auction with a large minimum asking price including related expenses to repair the street.
Start a forum where people can submit their ideas.
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This is where our government seems to be lacking. Well, all people in general.