New Haven Independent

posted by: dave coon on April 5, 2010  3:15pm

Maybe the new chief should give Cory Booker and Garry McCarthy a call down in Newark.  New Haven is looking a lot less safe of a place to live than Newark right now…
BTW, what do homeowners pay in property taxes in Newark?  More or less than New Haven?

posted by: Voter 2011 on April 5, 2010  4:04pm

Good luck to Chief Limon.  I hope JD has not already hamstrung you.  Last time officeholders talked to us soothingly about “A Few Bad Apples” we voted the other party in to office!

posted by: DR on April 5, 2010  5:32pm

Answering dave’s question—-

Newark:
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2008: $4,446 (1.4%)
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2008: $4,671 (1.6%)
Estimated per capita income in 2008: $17,372

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/Newark-New-Jersey.html#ixzz0kGOnxsiq

New Haven:
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2008: $4,506 (1.8%)
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2008: $4,621 (2.0%)
Estimated per capita income in 2008: $20,885

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/New-Haven-Connecticut.html#ixzz0kGOwmeOz

posted by: Threefifths on April 5, 2010  6:36pm

posted by: DR on April 5, 2010 5:32pm
Answering dave’s question—-

Newark:
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2008: $4,446 (1.4%)
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2008: $4,671 (1.6%)
Estimated per capita income in 2008: $17,372

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/Newark-New-Jersey.html#ixzz0kGOnxsiq

New Haven:
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2008: $4,506 (1.8%)
Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2008: $4,621 (2.0%)
Estimated per capita income in 2008: $20,885

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/New-Haven-Connecticut.html#ixzz0kGOwmeOz

But check thiss out.

Guide to Taxes on Retirees, 2009–2010: New Jersey Search Again

New Jersey may be the Garden State, but its tax policies create a thicket of thorns for some retirees. Its median real estate taxes are the highest in the nation, according to the Tax Foundation, and in 2009, it increased its rate on income of $500,000 or more to 10.25%, up from 8.97%. It also added a new top bracket of 10.75% on income of more than $1 million. However, New Jersey does offer retirees some breaks. It does not tax Social Security benefits and military pensions. It also allows residents 62 or older with incomes of $100,000 or less to exclude up to $15,000 ($20,000 for married couples filing jointly) of pensions, annuities and IRA withdrawals.

STATE SALES TAX
7%. Food, prescription and nonprescription drugs, clothing and footwear are exempt. Local sales taxes are imposed on certain items sold in Atlantic City and Cape May County.

INCOME-TAX RANGE
1.4% – 10.75%

PROPERTY TAXES
Property taxation is local. The Homestead Rebate Program provides rebates for homeowners and tenants who occupied their principal residence in New Jersey on October 1, paid property taxes on that dwelling either directly or through rent, and whose gross income for the entire year does not exceed certain limits. Homeowners and tenants file different applications according to their status.

The Homestead Credit Program
The credit program provides taxpayers with benefits calculated as a percentage of the property tax (up to a maximum of $10,000 tax) that they paid during the previous year. The percentages used to calculate this benefit are based on income levels, with higher percentage benefits allowed for the lower income levels, and with no benefit allowed for those whose income exceeds $250,000. The act also imposes a 4% property-tax levy cap on school districts and county and local governments, subject to limited exceptions and adjustments.

The Property Tax Reimbursement Program reimburses eligible senior citizens and disabled persons for property-tax increases. The amount of the reimbursement is the difference between the amount of property taxes that were due and paid in the “base year” (the first year that you met all the eligibility requirements) and the amount due and paid in the current year for which you are claiming the reimbursement, provided the amount paid in the current year was greater. You must meet all the eligibility requirements for the base year and for each succeeding year, up to and including the current year, to qualify for the reimbursement.

A Property Tax Deduction/Credit is available to eligible homeowners and tenants who pay property taxes, either directly or through rent, on their principal residence in New Jersey. They are eligible for either a deduction or a refundable credit on their New Jersey resident income-tax return. Homeowners and tenants may be eligible for a deduction or credit even if they are not eligible for a homestead rebate. Qualified residents may deduct 100% of their property taxes due and paid or $10,000, whichever is less. For tenants, 18% of rent paid during the year is considered property taxes paid. The minimum benefit is a refundable credit of $50. Those eligible must be 65 or older or blind or disabled, and not required to file a return because their income is below the minimum filing threshold. For senior citizens and disabled people, there is a $250 tax deduction from real property taxes provided for a dwelling of a qualified senior citizen. You must be 65 or older, a permanently and totally disabled individual, or the unmarried surviving spouse (55 or older) of such a person. This benefit is administered by the local municipality.

INHERITANCE AND ESTATE TAXES
New Jersey imposes a transfer inheritance tax, at graduated rates ranging from 11% to 16%, on the transfer from a decedent to a beneficiary of real and personal property that has a total value of $500 or more. If a decedent’s death occurs on or after July 1, 1988, property passing to a decedent’s surviving spouse, surviving parents, grandparents, children, stepchildren or grandchildren is entirely exempt from the tax.

State tax data courtesy Retirement Living Information Center. Visit RetirementLiving.com for a complete rundown of taxes in New Jersey.

If fact check out new york.

Guide to Taxes on Retirees, 2009–2010: New York Search Again

The Empire State offers very generous tax exemptions for retirees: It taxes neither Social Security benefits nor military, civil-service, New York State and local pensions. Also, qualified private pensions are exempt from state income taxes for taxpayers 59½ and older, up to $20,000; out-of-state government pensions are also entitled to the $20,000 exemption. Property taxes are limited to real estate. New York State law gives local governments and public-school districts the option to reduce the amount of property taxes paid by qualifying seniors 65 and older. Seniors can also take advantage of a partial exemption from school property taxes under the state’s School Tax Relief Program (STAR).

STATE SALES TAX
4% (food and prescription and nonprescription drugs exempt). Other taxing entities may add up to 5% in additional sales tax.

INCOME-TAX RANGE
4.0% – 8.97%

EXEMPTIONS FOR RETIREMENT INCOME
Social Security benefits and military, civil-service, and state- and local-government pensions are exempt. Up to $20,000 of qualified private pensions for those 59½ and older are also exempt. Out-of-state government pensions can be deducted as part of the $20,000 exemption.

PROPERTY TAXES
Property taxation is limited to real property. New York State law gives local governments and public-school districts the option of granting a reduction on the amount of property taxes paid by qualifying senior citizens. This is accomplished by reducing the assessed value of residential property owned by seniors by 50%. To qualify, seniors must be 65 or older and meet certain income limitations and other requirements. For the 50% exemption, the law allows each county, city, town, village or school district to set the maximum income limit at any figure between $3,000 and $24,000. Localities have the further option of granting an exemption of less than 50% to senior citizens whose incomes exceed the local income limit by less than $1,000 in three income ranges or $900 in six other income ranges. For example, in a community that has taken this “sliding scale” option and has adopted the $21,500 income maximum, an eligible resident whose income is more than $21,500 but less than $22,500 is entitled to a 45% exemption. If a person’s income is more than $29,000 but less than $32,400, the exemption is 5%.There is no general, statewide homestead property-tax exemption. However, a taxpayer’s primary residence may be partially exempt from school taxes under the state’s School Tax Relief (STAR) Program. Seniors can take advantage of this program that provides a partial exemption from school property taxes. All New Yorkers who own and live in their one-, two- or three-family home, condominium, cooperative apartment, manufactured home, or farm dwelling are eligible for a STAR exemption on their primary residence.

There are three parts to the STAR program:

The Basic STAR exemption is available for owner-occupied, primary residences regardless of the owners’ ages or incomes. Basic STAR works by exempting the first $30,000 of the full value of a home from school taxes.

The Middle Class STAR Rebate Program is an expanded property-tax-relief program that provides homeowners a benefit in the form of a property-tax rebate check. The program provides two types of rebates: (1) A Middle Class STAR rebate is available for homeowners who receive the basic STAR exemption on their property-tax bill. These homeowners must apply to receive this tax relief—the amount of the rebate is correlated to the homeowners’ income levels. The program provides benefits to taxpayers on a sliding scale based on income, with benefits declining as income exceeds $90,000 for upstate homeowners and $120,000 for homeowners in the higher-cost New York City metropolitan region. Taxpayers earning more than $250,000 are not eligible to receive a check. (2) A rebate also is available for homeowners who are 65 or older and receive an enhanced STAR exemption on their property-tax bills.

The Enhanced STAR exemption is available for the primary residences of senior citizens (age 65 and older) with yearly household incomes not exceeding the statewide standard. (The definition of “income” for this purpose is provided later in this pamphlet.) For qualifying senior citizens, the Enhanced STAR program works by exempting the first $50,000 of the full value of their home from school property taxes. For property owned by a husband and wife, or by siblings, only one of them must be at least 65 years old as of December 31 of the year in which the exemption will begin to qualify for the Enhanced exemption. Their combined annual income, however, must not exceed the STAR income standard.

INHERITANCE AND ESTATE TAXES
There is no inheritance tax. But for estate taxes, if the date of death is on or after January 1, 2004, the estate must file a New York State tax return if any one of the following conditions are met: (1) The decedent resided in New York State at the time of death and the total of the federal gross estate, federal taxable gifts and specific exemption exceeds $1 million. (2) The decedent did not reside in New York State at the time of death and the estate includes real or tangible personal property located in New York State, and the total of the federal gross estate, federal taxable gifts and specific exemption exceeds $1 million. (3) The decedent was neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States, the estate includes real or tangible personal property with a situs in New York State, and the estate is required to file a federal estate-tax return.

State tax data courtesy Retirement Living Information Center. Visit RetirementLiving.com for a complete rundown of taxes in New York.

Take your pick.

posted by: beefair on April 5, 2010  7:53pm

It’s no wonder nothing changes in New Haven. The leadership continues to believe that the solution is more and more cops. Police occupation is not the solution, it never has and it never will.

posted by: dave coon on April 5, 2010  8:25pm

What offends me is the mayor’s cavalier attitude towards his constituency and his cynical fear mongering.
To my ears, the warning he made at the Celentano School was that if he didn’t raise property taxes then he would be powerless from keeping the bad guys from Winchester (Read Street, specifically) from coming over the hill to attack East Rock. 
That’s the voice of a leader who has jumped the shark and is no longer leading.

posted by: Doyens on April 5, 2010  10:47pm

Taxpayers can’t catch a break with Mayor DeStefano and his messianic affection for higher property taxes and more debt. Regardless of whether crime is rising or declining, we need more cops. It’s the same with education.

Crime goes down, more cops stragegy is working. Crime goes up, just shows you we need more cops. Listening to him talk about the budget the projected monster property taxes, and his twisted justification is like watching The Three Faces of Eve.

posted by: DingDong on April 6, 2010  12:32am

ThreeFifths,

You’ve gotta write shorter posts if you want me to read them.  Or put a summary at the top.

posted by: wwv on April 6, 2010  8:21am

I’ve just moved to New Haven from overseas and it’s my first time in the US, so I am not sure if it is common that police officers engage in traffic control at construction sites… but this seems to me like an incredible waste of resources. I have never seen this in any other country before, and I am wondering if these officers could not rather show their presence in areas with high street crime? I know that police presence alone will not change a lot, but perhaps it would instill some trust and confidence in the community…

posted by: NH on April 6, 2010  9:12am

The cops working at construction sites are off duty and are being paid by the general contractor overseeing that construction job, not by the city, I believe.  Those are extra-duty jobs in addition to their full-time work for the city.

posted by: NoSense on April 6, 2010  9:24am

@ WWV-
I couldn’t agree more.  It’s a waste of man power, especially on the small construction jobs. 
And to answer your question it is not common place for police to stand at the site in the US.  This is the first place I have ever seen it.  I bet it’s a union thing.  They probably fight over the position to stand there and do nothing all day.  Or they are getting paid overtime on their off day.

posted by: Anon on April 6, 2010  10:18am

NoSense and NH you need to open your eyes ... cops work these jobs all over… the state police do on the highway, and the small towns do too (thats what the cop cars with lights are for parked at the construction site) and its is the police officers day off. The contractors pay the police. The officers are not allowed (like you) to have a second (part time)job unless authorized by the Chief!!! So make sense and get specifics before you talk!
  Now lets see if this Chief can do a good job like Chief Lewis or is he going to cater to Mayor John and let the crime rise and ease up on the drivers in New Haven driving without a license. He had a reason to select this Chief and we will all find out soon enough! Looks like another Chief Ortiz coming our way… Hold on for the bumpy ride.

posted by: Nakia Brown on April 6, 2010  10:39am

NH is correct, the officers working construction sites are NOT on duty.  They are paid by the construction company and not by the city.

posted by: No Sense on April 6, 2010  10:47am

@ NH-
Even if they are paid by the contractors, many of the projects are city projects paid by taxes.  So even though they are lowest bid, they still have to factor in the payment of the off duty cop, which I am sure doesn’t come cheap.  If this practice was eliminated reduced I am sure our overall construction costs would go down… which would lower taxes.  Having a cop around to fill pot holes just seems wasteful no matter who is paying for it.

posted by: DKR on April 6, 2010  10:57am

hey nosense and wwv,..until you walk in “our” shoes and know all the facts as to why a police officer is working a construction site to begin with,..then perhaps you should keep your comments to yourself. in today’s world,...there is one word that is placed on all companies/agencies alike and that is LIABILITY. when we work these job sites,..it’s on our off tiime form our regular shift. not to mention the fact that even while working these sites,..we still need to be aware of our surroundings, i can’t tell you how many times a police officer working one of these sites has assisted or made an arrest because the ‘INCIDENT” happened near him/her or he/she was listening to their radio and did what any prudent officer would do. keep that i mind the nest time you need police assistance for anything,..!!!!!

posted by: The Coun on April 6, 2010  12:18pm

Welcome to New Haven, Mr. Limon.

posted by: NoSense on April 6, 2010  1:06pm

@ DKR-
Your right, I should just sit here and not say anything because I might not know everything.  And I don’t think “walking in your shoes” for a day at a construction site would be life altering. 
My point is that the police at a construction site seems to be a symbolic feature more than a practical one.  I am sure you are getting paid an absurd amount [Toronto police get paid $65 an hour at construction zones] to do the same that a flagger would do for $20.
Now I see their use in high traffic downtown areas, but there are cops watching UI replace telephone poles in Wooster park.  That seems overkill.  That overhead costs come back down onto the pubic through taxes. 

...

Welcome to New Haven!

posted by: NoSense on April 6, 2010  1:09pm

Apparently its being looked at by other states and cities too.
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2008/08/14/92779.htm
a bit dated, but still applies.

posted by: wwv on April 6, 2010  4:52pm

@DKR and others

As I mentioned, I just moved here - so thanks for the clarification. Which actually makes it even more incredible to me (coming from overseas), as I can’t understand how a cop on his day-off can work in his/her uniform? I am certainly not criticizing the police men and women, I am just saying that I don’t understand it, is all.

posted by: Anon on April 6, 2010  10:59pm

WWV,

Thank you for raising this. I’ve raised it before and been a lone voice.

It is true the city does not pay for it. It is extra duty. But I think it is dangerous.

I hate to say it, but they don’t really do a better job than professional, certified flagging companies that do this in other states.

I can’t relay to Connecticut residents how dangerous our road construction jobs are because they haven’t lived anywhere else and can’t compare.

Professional flagging companies have tried to come into Connecticut only to be blocked out in court by you guessed it, police interests.

But parking a PD cruiser next to a truck on the side of the road is not good safety. Having a single cop standing out front of a construction site also is not safe.

ON the merrit parkway it is not unusual to come around a curve only to find yourself behind a slow moving truck with a blinking arrow on the back suggesting, bluntly and dangerously, that you move out of this closed lane. It is crazy dangerous and unlike what I am used to with flaggers and barrels far in advance of a site, something professional flagging companies do elsewhere.

posted by: Anon on April 6, 2010  11:03pm

Actually, someone in MAss. did a study suggesting there were hidden costs, even though city isn’t paying the extra duty costs of PD. cost the towns anyway, somehow, and better to use flaggers.