You stupid liberals do not understand that the millionaires who pay the bulk of the taxes would leave the state. Other states have enacted millionaire tax laws and actually produced less revenue. If Cuomo and Ball are letting the law expire, it is obvious they did the research and understand the economics. BTW, why does your headline protest Ball and not Cuomo? Teachers and community activists--more like union thugs and socialists like the Kenyan King.

Mike,
Patch wants to encourage a spirited community dialogue about issues that are important to all of us. Please stop name-calling -- it is against our terms of service.

Hi Mike,
The headline names Ball and not Cuomo because the protest took place in front of Ball's office in Brewster. Thanks.

Although I am more of a moderate in view, as an office worker making under $60k in Westchester County, I agree with Ball and his press people make great points. They did their homework. This is not a Millionaire's tax, the title is very misleading. Cuomo should have been mentioned more. Ball is doing great things for the community, and fighting for taxes, even though he's a Republican he gets it for all of us. Fighting illegal immigration who take our jobs and capping taxes is what will save our economy locally and nationally. Cuomo DOES NOT get it.

RONALD REAGAN---A LOOSER OF EPIC PORPORTIONS DID ONE GOOD THING WHILE HE WAS IN OFFICE--HE MADE CORPORATIONS AND THE SUPER WEALTHY PAY TAXES---WHILE THE TAX WAS IN EFFECT WE AS A COUNTRY ENJOYED GOOD ECONOMIC GROWTH---AS SOON AS THE RICH WON THE BATTLE AGAINST THE TAXES---WHICH ARE ONLY FAIR---WE WENT DOWN THE TUBES ECONOMICALLY----BRING CORPORATE TAXATION BACK --NO WRITE OFFS---TAX THE DAM RICH PROPERLY--

First of all STOP SCREAMING! Secondly, loser is spelled with one "o." I figured you would have gotten that correct. Thirdly, the 80s was one of the most prosperous decades in the 20th century along with the 50s and 20s--goes against your ill-conceived theory that Reagan was a loser. Reagan cut taxes during a recession and then increased taxes once the economy expanded. This current economy would be the wrong time to increase taxes. Typical liberal windbag gets half the story right which makes him-as usual...wrong!

The budget is passed and the millionaire's tax is dead. Silver has been defanged by his own party. I love it.

THE PEOPLE THAT WERE PROTESTING ARE CALLED ''USEFUL IDIOTS''.

when the corporations pay no taxes--as is the case in this country due to a flawed tax structure---big tax up front but too many accounting loopholes-----and the rich do the same---and our govt is making war on imaginary terrorists----who pays the taxes--we do--who suffers--we do---giving the wealthy a break has n e v e r brought prosperity to anyone but the rich---

Putting the political & economic issues aside, it's too bad that the protesters (representing the forces of education) used the possessive form of "Millionaire" on their symbolic check. The apostrophe is incorrect.

200k does not go a long way in Westchester county and I would not classify most people in this class as millionares. We need a break. Our property taxes are out of control and most of us pay AMT also. We don't need a millionaires tax too.

Anyone else notice that they were all from outside Ball's district?

Let's be perfectly honest -- this has nothing to do with 'education', and everything to do with 'protecting benefits of government workers". The people protesting have multi-million dollar equivalent pensions ahead of them.

The tax was marketed as "Temporary" -- there was no tax cut. The temporary tax was not renewed.

Finally, the protesters don't have NY's best interests at heart -- it is in our best interest to have a vibrant, dynamic, and innovative economy, and high taxes drive the most productive people out of state or to other countries.

TB is a real rabble rowser!!!!

Re" Alliance for Quality Education. I will bet that is is in part funded by some teachers union. Bluecollarman is right when he writes "this has nothing to do with 'education', and everything to do with 'protecting benefits of government workers". How long do you think it will take for the high taxes to drive more business from New York state? If these groups were that upset with big companies NOT paying taxes, why haven't they written the President THEY elected, and tell him to tell his friend at General Electric to pay his companies fair share of the taxes! It is nice to be a "friend" of the president and Democratic party.

what do you call a country run by the corporations and the military--all the while waving the flag and sticking the bible in your face ? the good old USA--WHERE FASCISM REIGNS SUPREME--ONLY THE AVERAGE PERSON HAS NO IDEA

Kevin, you need help.

Gee whiz! What a surprise, our intrepid state senator Greg Ball sides with the wealthy. I thought he was fighting for us, the middle class. So now that there will be 4.5 billion dollars of revenue eliminated from the state budget I can assume that I will be paying increased fees for state, town, and school services. He allowed this tax for the wealthy to expire for my family's benefit, yeah right!

GEE WIZ! HOW ABOUT WE STOP SPENDIND SO MUCH MONEY. THE MORE THE GOVERNMENT TAXES THE MORE THEY WILL SPEND.. THE SO CALLED MILLIONAIRES WILL JUST MOVE OUT OF THE STATE LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN DOING LEAVING US IN A BIGGER MESS. OH BY THEY WAY I AM A MIDDLE CLASS TRUCK DRIVER AND GREG BALL IS FIGHTING FOR ME..MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.. THANKS

If you're a middle class truck driver, then you should be fighting for the middle class and let the millionaires' fight for themselves. The millionaires' tax--an old tax-- would not apply to you or your family, but would help pay for services that you depend on. You know, plowed roads, lower vehicle registration fees and sports programs for your children. Point of fact, millionaires' are not leaving New York, it's the middle class that are leaving. Greg Ball pretends he is fighting for us, but he's not, he fighting for himself.

Steve, I am willing to bet that you are a civil service worker . Civil service workers are the only ones NOT paying their fare share. Millionaires ARE leaving this state contrary to what you say. Not only them, but business's are also. It is time that some civil service workers are brought into the REAL world. Talk to people that work in the private sector and ask them when the last time they got a raise? Ask them about their retirement plans. Ask them how much they have to pay into for their retirement and health care plans. You maybe surprised that you have it that good and still are complaining.

Francis, you would lose your bet. I work in the private sector and am middle class, but I respect civil service workers because I know they pay their fair share everyday. Like our policemen who put their life on the line for us, our firemen who run into burning buildings while everyone else is running out, and our teachers who beside a parent are the most influential people in a child's life. The jealousy over their benefits and retirement is ridiculous, they defer or waive wages for those things. Respectfully, your questions are wrong, I won't ask them about their retirement and health care plans, I'll ask you, why don't you have that? We all deserve a secure retirement and health benefits.

Keep in mind the small business owners who get taxed and taxed and taxed (we are in that boat and put into this category). The more you tax, the more these people they are forced to lay off workers. And yes, the "millionaires" are moving away! Statistics say in the tri state area, only 30% of the population are paying their taxes...not really fair to add an additional tax to the ones who are already paying enough!

Steve, do the research. Many states that legislated a Millionaire's tax actually produced less tax revenue because those so-called big, bad Millionaires left the state. It doesn't work. What you need to differentiate is the Upper middle class millionaires who own small business, invest, hire people and pay big taxes from the few multi-multi-millionaires who shelter their money. NY with their unfriendly corporate tax rate and over-regulation added with unions leaders continuing to use their leverage to extort monies from the state government has left New York with the second worse debt in the US (behind CA). Then, when you consider the entitlements paid out to the bottom feeders who pay no tax whatsoever, you'll have very little tax base left to pay off the debt. The democrats have done enough damage with their so-called "compassionate" politics. Republicans luring corporations to their state doesn't mean they are in big business pocket, it means they are trying to get work for the underemployed private sector--y'know the sector that pays for those valuable union jobs.

Please don't tell me Republicans are trying to get Americans back to work. Since they have had control of the House they have not put one jobs creation package forward. They are concerned with protecting the rich. An example: Last year, America's top thirteen hedge-fund managers earned an average of $1 billion each. Their income is taxed as capital gains - at 15 percent - due to a tax loophole that Republican members of Congress continue to protect. Why?
If the earnings of those thirteen hedge-fund managers were taxed just as ordinary income, the revenues generated would pay the salaries and benefits of 300,000 teachers, cops or firemen. Who is more valuable to our society - thirteen hedge-fund managers or 300,000 teachers? 2) As reported in the Wall Street Journal, not exactly a liberal newspaper, a study by the Empire Center for New York State Policy shows middle-class people are leaving the state, not millionaires'. I agree with Mike on corporations like GE, they must pay their fair share, 0% is anti-American. 3) I am not a teacher or a union member, but let's stop villifying them. They didn't cause the problem.

They are trying to defund Obamacare. That would be the equivalent of a jobs creation package. Many companies have held off hiring because of the anxiety due to this jobs-killing bill (amongst other things). That is factual. Bachmann is also working to reverse the 1 Billion dollar appropriation already in effect now.

Just a comment on teacher merit pay, even Fox news reported a study which found that offering performance bonuses to teachers does nothing to raise student scores. The study was conducted by Vanderbilt University's National Center on Performance Incentives and researchers found that students in classrooms where teachers received bonuses saw the same gains as the classes where educators got no incentive. Francis, I agree, too many top-heavy administrators in our school systems. And an example of teachers giving up salary increases happened just this year in Chappaqua-1 million dollars. It happens all the time, but it's not reported. I want teachers to be compensated fairly because I want the best teacher teaching my children.

Before the compromise which extended the Bush tax cuts, which commenced during a time of two wars, Republicans told us that companies were not hiring due to the uncertainties of the tax code. That's been rectified, so now it's because of the health care law. Come on. I like the fact that insurance companies can no longer deny my child medical treatment due to a preexisting condition.

This health law is a disaster. Companies have flat-out said they will not hire because of it. Obama is giving favors to the Muslims, and union members by excluding them from it. If it was so good, why the exclusion? Also, we (meaning us, you) will be TAXED for your employers contributions as additional INCOME. That's one of the reasons why the IRS is in charge amongst others. There are other goodies in there too, if you do the research. I wouldn't compare some annual tax code changes to a transformation of how business will be conducted across America. Pure partisan nonsense.

Yes, we are going to pay for it. And that goes to my original point in this thread, we, the middle class are fighting with each other and some are even defending millionaires' while ascribing blame onto publice service workers'. That's wrong! The millionaires can afford to pay a little bit more, it's called shared sacrifice. If they don't like it, let them protest in the street. I agree the Health Care law is not perfect, but it is a very good thing for Americans. Poll after poll shows that when specific items in the law are asked about, the public supports them, but when asked in general terms they don't support it. It's because its a complicated law, and our politicians and news outlets have not been honest when discussing it. I think it's good that insurance companies can longer deny children coverage with preexisting conditions. It's good that children who have no other alternative can now be covered under their parents plan unil age 26. It's good that the lifetime caps on what an insurance company will pay for medical procedures are now illegal. It's good that yearly caps by insurance companies are illegal. What's bad about it, the individual mandate? That is a Republican idea by the way. Because the wisdom was that no one was going to get a free ride or, in other words, individual repsonsibility. Union members are absolutely not excluded from the law. That was more spin put out to try and divide the middle class. No idea what the muslim reference is

Steve, you are not up to speed with the union deal. Quote "The sweetheart deal, hammered out behind closed doors, will save union employees at least $60 billion over the years involved, while others won't be as lucky -- they'll have to cough up almost $90 billion.
Read more: <http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/unions_get_pecial_treatment_in_health_AB053CwqPIJlIxXAm37DOM#ixzz1IBqEbpnG>; As far as the Muslim reference, I found out they they won't be exempt because of their religion.

Steve, let me put it this way, the Republicans did NOT pass the Obama Health care plan which included the "individual mandate". It is one of the things that the states are fighting against. The government has NO right to make you, the individual, purchase anything. I know you will be thinking , I have to purchase car insurance. Yes you do IF you want to drive your vehicle on the public highways, but you are NOT required to drive on the public highways. That part of the heath care law will be ruled unconstitutional, and with out that part, the whole house of cards will fall. The democrats have not been totally honest on the true cost of this plan. Every day something new comes out about the actual cost. It was a plan made behind closed doors with special deals for special poeple. Why does it contain over 2000 pages? Why did we have to pass it before we could know what was in it? The last thing that you write is " The millionaires can afford to pay a little bit more, it's called shared sacrifice". That sounds like this " from those who have to those who don't" , and that comes from the Communist Manifesto. Can you see the similarity?

Francis, earlier you said "Civil service workers are the only ones NOT paying their fare share." Meaning you want them to pay more or "those who have to those who don't." That sounds like it comes from the Communist Manifesto. So why are you standing up for millionaires instead of your middle class neighbors? Unless you're a millionaire, then I get it. And I know you are citing a NY Post article, but they have their "facts" 100% wrong. There is no distinction between Union and non- union workers. All US citizens that have a healthcare plan and whose value does not meet or exceed the $8,900 a year for an individual or $24,000 for a family would have their plan exempted from the tax, and the individual is not responsible for paying the tax. Under the bill passed last year, the federal government would impose a 40 percent tax on the value of employer-sponsored health coverage exceeding the aforementioned numbers. I disagree with your position on the individual mandate because every American is in the health care system. So yes, they do have a right to make you purchase health care insurance.

Steve, maybe you will believe your oracle, the New York Times. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/health/policy/21insure.html>; I don't know where you get your information on this debacle of a plan, but you certainly don't know what is in it. You are in a minority when it comes to liking it. You have bought into the class warfare stuff that is put out by the left. If the plan was SO GOOD why are so many groups opting out of it? Why are they opting out of it? Can you answer this since you seem to know so much about this plan.

Francis, you don't believe me so how about factcheck? Here is what they said. When the White House and congressional Democrats agreed last year to scale back a Senate-passed tax on high-value health plans, it was widely portrayed as a giveaway to labor unions. For example, the New York Post reported that it was a "sweetheart deal" that would save union members $60 billion, and on its editorial page called it a "bribe" and a "big, fat wet kiss for labor unions," a view quickly echoed by Republican leaders.
Now a new analysis challenges that view with some pertinent facts. The study found that under the compromise version of the tax, 17 percent of those affected in 2019 would be union workers and 83 percent would not. It also projects that 71 percent of the dollar savings from the supposed "wet kiss for labor" would actually go to nonunion workers. So the chief beneficiaries of the "sweetheart deal" are not union members at all.
The "sweetheart deal" would have to be tilted to union workers in a truly massive way for them to make up most of the beneficiaries or get most of the dollar benefit. And it isn’t. Who is opting out, tea partiers?Individual madates don't even go into effect until 2014. Class warfare? You're jealous of teachers, cops and firemen who I believe are within your class. Let the millionaires fight for themselves, they don't need your help. When you become a millionaire then fight for millionaires'.

Steve, I'm fighting for my children and grand children. The way this country is going they will NOT live better than me. Is this what we want to pass on to our children? They are being harnessed with a debt they will NEVER be able to pay off. You have been sold a bill of goods from a snake oil salesman. Read the bill, do something the Democrats didn't do before they passed it.

There should be no one seeking exemptions if the bill was that good!!!!

Even your pal Anthony Wiener is trying to get an exemption and HE voted for it.