As Rockland County lawmakers struggle to close a , new fees and surcharges are being passed onto towns.
A allows the county to "charge-back" towns for college tuition, which will net the Rockland government about $1.8 million in 2012.
In the past, county government reimbursed community colleges in other areas for non-resident tuition differences when Rockland residents studied at Westchester Community College, or other, similar institutions.
Now, those fees will fall to Orangetown, Clarkstown, Ramapo, Stony Point and Haverstraw. And town leaders are not pleased.
"[Rockland County] can't balance their budget, so they're turning to the towns," said councilman Thomas Diviny at this week's Orangetown board meeting.
The fee will hit Orangetown for about $230,000, and likely be taken from the town's share of the county sales tax, supervisor Andy Stewart said.
(Read Andy Stewart's blog on the matter .)
"I'm having a real problem with this charge-back," added councilman Thomas Morr.
Stewart assailed the fees, too, and noted other lawmakers are working to lessen the fiscal damage.
"There are advocacy efforts taking place," he said, noting assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee (D-Suffern) and senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland) are "digging into" the issue to seek solutions.
Stewart added that the details of the new fee structure are murky.
"I'm trying to figure out what the facts of the situation are, and then how we can best take action to protect ourselves," he said.
taxes because they live in a commune, salaries are given to the Grand Rebbe for the community. This may be incorrect, if so then how is their use of food stamps, Medicaid, as well as other public assistance (although many are employed) explained? Many would be surprised to know that they top our Welfare rolls because of their exemptions. And yet, they have seemingly unlimited funds to purchase property in cash (as reported in the Journal-News, specifically the property on Broadway in Upper Nyack). We digress however as that is not the point of this article or thread.
i think these jewish people are abusing the system, they are only looking out for themselves, i was heart broken when they voted against kindergarden for the east ramapo school district, i think kindergarden should be manditory, they dont care about any one else the school district should charge them for the school buses, because they find everyloop hole to avoid paying taxes and everyday they have buildings going up in spring valley and all over.
And, not for nothing, right now we have laws written to define "religion" in order to grant special legal status to individuals and groups. That definition is the crux of the argument. Perhaps it shouldn't defined. Not for profits should provide service like Rockland Family Shelter or Cooperative Extension and should not go to things that are exclusive. And don't forget to pay sales tax on that lunch that wasn't really business.