Footnotes to Long Island History
School Taxes of Yesteryear
by
Thomas R. Bayles
School Taxes of Yesteryear
By Thomas R. Bayles
In these days of soaring
school taxes, as well as all taxes, it may be of interest to make some
comparisons with years ago.
The school
taxes on our home place in Middle Island were $2.57. In 1925 the school
taxes were $10.80 and the whole tax bill for that year was 31.50.
Another 25 years in 1950 and the school taxes were 58 and in 15 years
more in 1965 the school taxes were 192. Now in 1968 the school taxes on
the same place have been nearly doubled to 373 and the rate has gone
from 28 cents in 1902 to 14.05 for this year.
If the school
taxes continue to increase at the same rate for the next 25 years where
will the tax payer be?
The table
shown here of the school money and teachers wages back in 1877 in the
villages of Brookhaven town give you some idea of the changes during the
past 100 years.