In Brooklyn, New York, you need a street tag to have credibility. Local kids call me Reeces Pieces because I rap better than Emenem. Bill Hendrick, a social studies teacher at Halsey Middle School in Queens, wrote me about a “meeting” he had with New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo and local politicians. – Alan Singer
On Thursday, June 30, 2011, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo joined State Assemblymen and Senators, including Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos, in Bill’s hometown of Lynbrook. He attended carrying a homemade sign that read, "Just tax the wealthy more - Use that money to save our school."
Bill was the only one that attended who carried a protest sign, but he did hear rumblings in the audience from people worried about job security, rising costs, and overall their economic future. The Governor and legislators spoke about how excited they were about a property tax freeze which would supposedly bring relief to overburdened families. The Governor claimed that "no one's taxes would have to increase" as a result of the compromise reached in Albany. Bill translated that to mean the wealthiest New Yorkers would continue not to pay their fair share.
Bill understands the pressure people feel. He grew up on Long island where homeowners pay some of the highest property taxes in the country. On the other hand, Long Island residents have always had excellent schools and received good services. Bill does not understand how the property tax cap will permit towns and counties to maintain the schools and services that brought people to the suburbs in the first place. There are going to be budget shortfalls and service cuts.
Bill was a history major at Hofstra University and prides himself on his understanding of the American past and the way it shapes the present. He wrote that while the country is still reeling from the current economic recession and many American families are struggling to get by, some families and many corporations are doing better than ever, with record profits, bonuses, wealth, capital gains, and, overall, a bright economic future. He finds it unacceptable that wealth is being transferred to the few in the upper economic tier, the people with connections to politicians, while the many are anxious or suffering.
Bill likes to quote Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address with his 7th graders, especially the phrase that defines democracy as “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” He has trouble aligning these phrases with tax cuts for the wealthy and budget cuts for the rest.
Bill tries to be charitable and hopes the problem is that Governor Cuomo and the State lawmakers did not think the consequences of their actions through enough. New York State passes many federal funding mandates on to local governments. These required expenses include everything from maximum numbers of students in special needs classes and number of school days in a year to the number and location of crosswalks. The state should help to cover these expenses, but it is not. Bill does not have a simple solution, but he knows the Cuomo tax cap will not solve the problem. It may be popular, but as a solution it is all smoke and mirrors.
At the end of the event, Bill waited in line, along with many others, for a photo opportunity with the governor. He did not get the photo, he forgot to bring his camera, but he did shake Cuomo’s hand. He also took the opportunity to ask him point blank how the tax cap would help solve the economic crisis faced by many New Yorkers. Cuomo smiled back nicely and then turned and walked over to the next person. Bill got no answer.
Bill’s wife thought his question might have been “too difficult to answer” or “too mean” for Cuomo to give a quick response. Bill felt it was too difficult to answer because it would have required “lying, point blank, back to an educated, active citizen.”
Bill hopes other New Yorkers will become more politically active and press Governor Cuomo and their local representatives to answer difficult questions about the economy, taxes, and social services.