<p>“Excessive teacher salaries are partly responsible for the ridiculous property taxes on Long Island. On a typical $500,000 suburban home, taxes run $12,000, about 3 times that of most “expensive” suburban locales in the US. And I doubt that the teachers there are any better.”</p>
<p>I do not think that teacher’s salaries are the main culprit for escalating property taxes. The biggest problem is the absolute mismanagement and lack of accountability of most school districts. In most districts cronyism is rampant, especially in the highest levels of administration. Positive actions are usually suffocated by the effective counter-measures of unionized members. The members of the old guard protect themselves and their lazy livelihood by doling out favors to a select group of new acolytes. This type of environment does little to encourage the good teachers but does wonders for an army of deadweight whose only interest is to abuse the system. </p>
<p>As long as we will allow school districts to play with their budgets and ask for increases at will, no solution will come. More money should be allocated to teachers while the fat should be cut out. School districts should publish one tellling statistic: number and cost per hour of schooling that was effectively taught by a full teacher. It would provide a good number to compare with the private schools that always seem to do a lot more for a lot less money. </p>
<p>Lastly, I am not expert on property taxes, but I think that the taxes in Texas for a house valued at $500,000 are well above $12,000 and probably closer to 3% of value. Obviously, there is no income taxes in Texas.</p>