To the Editor:
First – how many more years should we here in Dutchess have to wait before G.O.P. state legislators stop playing political games and stop forcing struggling small-business owners and middle-class residents in our county to pay twice the state and local taxes that millionaires do as a percentage of income? None.
Our own county Legislature should take the matter into its own hands and pass a home rule request to Albany asking the state permission to slash property taxes here in Dutchess County – replaced by a fairer local income tax, as New York City and Yonkers have already smartly done (see/sign petitiononline.com/Fairness).
Second – Westchester County has an Affordable Housing Land Trust, a great New Homes Land Acquisition Program, and a great online Green Map listing various farmer’s markets, green purchasing locations, green buildings, alternative energy sources, etc. – we need these innovations here in Dutchess (see/sign petitiononline.com/hsgtrust; GreenMap.westchestergov).
Third – San Francisco has long been saving tax dollars and revitalizing their local economy by making sure everyone there has access to preventive health care and is also paid a truly living wage (about $10 an hour, excluding some nonprofits, small businesses and students) – help make this happen here in Dutchess (see HealthySanFrancisco.org, petitiononline.com/duhealth, petitiononline.com/livwage).
Fourth – the Monroe County executive has virtual Town Hall meetings and has initiated an interactive county budget survey link on the county Web site there – we need these here in Dutchess.
Fifth – Ulster, Wayne and Yates counties have long accepted plastics No. 3 through No. 7 for recycling; Dutchess should publicly do the same – and this information should be easily available online at DCRRA.org.
Finally – Washington, D.C. has a bike rental program at no cost whatsoever to taxpayers there – we need this here (see SmartBikeDC.com).
Joel Tyner
County Legislator (D-Clinton/Rhinebeck)