Gambling vs Investing in NY
Rather then building all of these casinos in New York, wouldn’t it be a better policy to eliminate the long-term capital gains tax on middle class families? This way, if people had the urge to gamble, they could strategically invest in our economy, and if they invested in the right way, rather then gambling, could improve their economic situation.
NPR
The IRS is developing a system that would let taxpayers send electronic returns directly to the government for free, sidestepping commercial options such as TurboTax.
The agency plans a pilot test of the program next year.
Many other countries already offer taxpayers a government-run filing system. But the IRS plan is likely to face stiff opposition from the $14 billion tax-preparation industry.
How to Look Up Any Tax Assessment Record in New York State by Coordinate
How to Look Up Any Tax Assessment Record in New York State by Coordinate
I was studying the various data services available and discovered a handy little website put out by the state for public use to find out tax assessment records for all counties in New York State.
Required Fields:
Y = Latitude
X = Longitude
SpatialReference = 4326 if you want to use latitude and longitude
Kind of a handy endpoint, for your use. It returns a json string. You can also automate the process by using a GET or POST request. For example to pull the tax record for a point at Cole Hill State Forest and get the data back as a JSON text string.
https://gisservices.its.ny.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NYSTaxAssessmentLookup/GPServer/TaxAssessment/execute?X=-74.10192&Y=42.59518&SpatialReference=4326&env%3AoutSR=&env%3AprocessSR=&returnZ=false&returnM=false&returnTrueCurves=false&returnFeatureCollection=false&context=&f=json
Here is what that URL will output it when you request it.
{"results":[{"paramName":"OBJECTID","dataType":"GPString","value":"30986"},
{"paramName":"COUNTY_NAME","dataType":"GPString","value":"Albany"},
{"paramName":"MUNI_NAME","dataType":"GPString","value":"Berne"},
{"paramName":"SWIS","dataType":"GPString","value":"012000"},
{"paramName":"PARCEL_ADDR","dataType":"GPString","value":"Willsie Rd"},
{"paramName":"PRINT_KEY","dataType":"GPString","value":"90.-1-14"},
{"paramName":"SBL","dataType":"GPString","value":"09000000010140000000"},
{"paramName":"CITYTOWN_NAME","dataType":"GPString","value":"Berne"},
{"paramName":"CITYTOWN_SWIS","dataType":"GPString","value":"012000"},
{"paramName":"LOC_ST_NBR","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"LOC_STREET","dataType":"GPString","value":"Willsie Rd"},
{"paramName":"LOC_UNIT","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"LOC_ZIP","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"PROP_CLASS","dataType":"GPString","value":"941"},
{"paramName":"ROLL_SECTION","dataType":"GPString","value":"3"},
{"paramName":"LAND_AV","dataType":"GPString","value":"579885"},
{"paramName":"TOTAL_AV","dataType":"GPString","value":"579885"},
{"paramName":"FULL_MARKET_VAL","dataType":"GPString","value":"982856"},
{"paramName":"YR_BLT","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"FRONT","dataType":"GPString","value":"0"},
{"paramName":"DEPTH","dataType":"GPString","value":"0"},
{"paramName":"SQ_FT","dataType":"GPString","value":"0"},
{"paramName":"ACRES","dataType":"GPString","value":"506.28"},
{"paramName":"SCHOOL_CODE","dataType":"GPString","value":"012001"},
{"paramName":"SCHOOL_NAME","dataType":"GPString","value":"Berne-Knox-Westerlo"},
{"paramName":"SEWER_TYPE","dataType":"GPString","value":"1"},
{"paramName":"SEWER_DESC","dataType":"GPString","value":"None"},
{"paramName":"WATER_SUPP","dataType":"GPString","value":"1"},
{"paramName":"WATER_DESC","dataType":"GPString","value":"None"},
{"paramName":"UTILITIES","dataType":"GPString","value":"3"},
{"paramName":"UTILITIES_DESC","dataType":"GPString","value":"Electric"},
{"paramName":"BLDG_STYLE","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"BLDG_STYLE_DESC","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"HEAT_TYPE","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"HEAT_TYPE_DESC","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"FUEL_TYPE","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"FUEL_TYPE_DESC","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"SQFT_LIVING","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"NBR_KITCHENS","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"NBR_FULL_BATHS","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"NBR_BEDROOMS","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"USED_AS_CODE","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"USED_AS_DESC","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"AG_DIST_CODE","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"AG_DIST_NAME","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"PRIMARY_OWNER","dataType":"GPString","value":"NYS Reforestation Land"},
{"paramName":"MAIL_ADDR","dataType":"GPString","value":"112 State St Rm 810"},
{"paramName":"PO_BOX","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"MAIL_CITY","dataType":"GPString","value":"Albany"},
{"paramName":"MAIL_STATE","dataType":"GPString","value":"NY"},
{"paramName":"MAIL_ZIP","dataType":"GPString","value":"12207"},
{"paramName":"ADD_OWNER","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"ADD_MAIL_ADDR","dataType":"GPString","value":""},
{"paramName":"ADD_MAIL_PO_BOX","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"ADD_MAIL_CITY","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"ADD_MAIL_STATE","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"ADD_MAIL_ZIP","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"BOOK","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"PAGE","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"GRID_EAST","dataType":"GPString","value":"561180"},
{"paramName":"GRID_NORTH","dataType":"GPString","value":"945822"},
{"paramName":"MUNI_PARCEL_ID","dataType":"GPString","value":"0120001026"},
{"paramName":"SWIS_SBL_ID","dataType":"GPString","value":"01200009000000010140000000"},
{"paramName":"SWIS_PRINT_KEY_ID","dataType":"GPString","value":"01200090.-1-14"},
{"paramName":"ROLL_YR","dataType":"GPString","value":"2019"},
{"paramName":"SPATIAL_YR","dataType":"GPString","value":"2019"},
{"paramName":"OWNER_TYPE","dataType":"GPString","value":"2"},
{"paramName":"NYS_NAME","dataType":"GPString","value":"New York State- DEC"},
{"paramName":"NYS_NAME_SOURCE","dataType":"GPString","value":"1-2-SA-a"},
{"paramName":"DUP_GEO","dataType":"GPString","value":"Null"},
{"paramName":"CALC_ACRES","dataType":"GPString","value":"498.300342"},
{"paramName":"ServiceMessage","dataType":"GPString","value":"Match found for entered X:-74.10192 & Y:42.59518."}],"messages":[]}
I found this handy enough, I wrote short PHP script that I can execute as needed to pull up property data and output it into a CSV spreadsheet format for bringing up in OpenOffice Calc. If you enter more then two words, it searches by address, otherwise it uses the first and second parameters as coordinates.
if ($argc > 2) {
$address = "";
for ($i = 1; $i <= $argc; $i++)
$address .= "$argv[$i] ";
$address = urlencode($address);
$json = file_get_contents("https://gisservices.its.ny.gov/arcgis/rest/services/Locators/Street_and_Address_Composite/GeocodeServer/findAddressCandidates?Street=&City=&State=&ZIP=&SingleLine={$address}&outFields=&maxLocations=1&matchOutOfRange=true&langCode=&locationType=&sourceCountry=&category=&location=&distance=&searchExtent=&outSR=4326&magicKey=&f=pjson");
$coord = json_decode($json);
$lat = $coord->candidates[0]->location->y;
$lng = $coord->candidates[0]->location->x;
}
else {
$lat = $argv[1];
$lng = $argv[2];
}
if ($lng > 0) $lng *= -1;
$json = file_get_contents("https://gisservices.its.ny.gov/arcgis/rest/services/NYSTaxAssessmentLookup/GPServer/TaxAssessment/execute?X={$lng}&Y={$lat}&SpatialReference=4326&env%3AoutSR=&env%3AprocessSR=&returnZ=false&returnM=false&returnTrueCurves=false&returnFeatureCollection=false&context=&f=json");
$prop = json_decode($json);
foreach ($prop->results as $line) {
echo '"'.addslashes($line->paramName).'","'.addslashes($line->value).""n";
}
With this script, you can load a nice version of tax record in your favorite spreadsheet.
| OBJECTID | 30986 |
| COUNTY_NAME | Albany |
| MUNI_NAME | Berne |
| SWIS | 12000 |
| PARCEL_ADDR | Willsie Rd |
| PRINT_KEY | 90.-1-14 |
| SBL | 9.00000001014E+018 |
| CITYTOWN_NAME | Berne |
| CITYTOWN_SWIS | 12000 |
| LOC_ST_NBR | Null |
| LOC_STREET | Willsie Rd |
| LOC_UNIT | Null |
| LOC_ZIP | Null |
| PROP_CLASS | 941 |
| ROLL_SECTION | 3 |
| LAND_AV | 579885 |
| TOTAL_AV | 579885 |
| FULL_MARKET_VAL | 982856 |
| YR_BLT | Null |
| FRONT | 0 |
| DEPTH | 0 |
| SQ_FT | 0 |
| ACRES | 506.28 |
| SCHOOL_CODE | 12001 |
| SCHOOL_NAME | Berne-Knox-Westerlo |
| SEWER_TYPE | 1 |
| SEWER_DESC | None |
| WATER_SUPP | 1 |
| WATER_DESC | None |
| UTILITIES | 3 |
| UTILITIES_DESC | Electric |
| BLDG_STYLE | Null |
| BLDG_STYLE_DESC | Null |
| HEAT_TYPE | Null |
| HEAT_TYPE_DESC | Null |
| FUEL_TYPE | Null |
| FUEL_TYPE_DESC | Null |
| SQFT_LIVING | Null |
| NBR_KITCHENS | Null |
| NBR_FULL_BATHS | Null |
| NBR_BEDROOMS | Null |
| USED_AS_CODE | Null |
| USED_AS_DESC | Null |
| AG_DIST_CODE | Null |
| AG_DIST_NAME | Null |
| PRIMARY_OWNER | NYS Reforestation Land |
| MAIL_ADDR | 112 State St Rm 810 |
| PO_BOX | Null |
| MAIL_CITY | Albany |
| MAIL_STATE | NY |
| MAIL_ZIP | 12207 |
| ADD_OWNER | Null |
| ADD_MAIL_ADDR | |
| ADD_MAIL_PO_BOX | Null |
| ADD_MAIL_CITY | Null |
| ADD_MAIL_STATE | Null |
| ADD_MAIL_ZIP | Null |
| BOOK | Null |
| PAGE | Null |
| GRID_EAST | 561180 |
| GRID_NORTH | 945822 |
| MUNI_PARCEL_ID | 120001026 |
| SWIS_SBL_ID | 1.20000900000001E+024 |
| SWIS_PRINT_KEY_ID | 01200090.-1-14 |
| ROLL_YR | 2019 |
| SPATIAL_YR | 2019 |
| OWNER_TYPE | 2 |
| NYS_NAME | New York State- DEC |
| NYS_NAME_SOURCE | 1-2-SA-a |
| DUP_GEO | Null |
| CALC_ACRES | 498.300342 |
| ServiceMessage | Match found for entered X:-74.08836 & Y:42.59480. |
Don’t Forget to Vote in School Board Elections
Many of us forget about School Board Elections.
They are in a strange time of year, the middle of May, as many of us are thinking more about our summer plans, rather then critical questions of local government spending. School board elections, as local elections, are poorly covered by the news, and often are uninteresting. You may no longer attend high school, and you may not have kids in school. Yet those are not good reasons for not voting.
School Board Elections, School Budget Vote, and Library Budget Vote are all important things to vote on for several reasons including:
- Low turn out, local elections mean your vote can change results easily.
- Your decision hits your pocketbook directly, especially if pay property taxes.
- Only chance to directly comment on government spending — should we invest more in our public schools or further increase the crushing tax burden on working folk?
None of us have perfect information. Many years when I vote in school board elections, I don’t even know whose running for school board, and leave those ballots blank. If your concerned about government spending and waste, or think schools and the students being educated are getting cut too much, then either vote Yes or No. It’s that simple.