In several past posts, and in several future posts, I’ve discussed the winners, those categories of services and people who get far more public funding here than the national average, in some cases more than in anywhere else in the United States. But despite state and local taxes that were 43% higher than the national average in FY 2004, relative to personal income, and lots of fee income besides, taxpayers are not the only losers in New York City.
Spending on the city’s public schools has been below national average as a share of income, often far below, as far back as the data goes. Parks, recreation and culture had been above the national average until1989, Ed Koch’s last year in office. It has been far below average ever since, despite lots of private donations. Major transportation projects are proposed and planned, but never built here. Yesterday, the Daily News reported that the city’s libraries are rarely open. http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/441273p-371556c.html. No surprise there.
In March, 2005 New York City had 29 library employees for every 100,000 people. The national average was 43, the rest of the state averaged 63, and New Jersey averaged 55. In fiscal 2004, the city’s spending on public libraries was 80 cents per $1,000 of New York City residents’ personal income. The national average was 91 cents; the rest of New York State averaged $1.24. Since taxes are already so high, it is unlikely that there will ever be more funding for the losers without spending restraint on the part of the winners.
But every year the winners get more, generally mandated by Albany or forced by past decisions (like running up the debt). And the losers are first in line for cuts in every recession.
How does your state legislator feel about this? Well, rather than increase New York City’s share of state school operating aid, that legislator voted to provide yet another tax break to offset even more school spending in the rest of the state, where spending is already high. And rather than provide funding for more, or better paid, teachers, parks and library workers, the legislature voted to allow such workers to retire at age 55 rather than 62 with a half pension and full health care (Pataki vetoed this).
BUT the same legislators who are in large part responsible for directing the big dollars away from these services get a few nickels to hand out to the parks, schools and libraries personally. Don’t be fooled. Their token contribution, for which we are expected to be on our knees in thanks (like they are before Joe and Shelly), is included in the totals. The totals are still low.
An overview of the city’s relative spending and employment in parks, recreation, culture, and libraries, written when the 2002 Census of Governments data became available, is attached. Much of it prints out landscape.
BTW, one could argue that libraries require even more money because they are in transition. The internet has made much of their initial purpose obsolete. On the other hand, it has created a whole new need – providing internet access to those who either do not have it at home, or require instruction in how to do research on it. It’s not just the books. The computers are always full.