The state commission on property tax relief has come out with several recommendations to cut the enormous burden of taxes people pay for local schools.

One is a cap on local property tax levies, but the state School Boards Association reminded local politicians that the root cause of the constant increases could be fixed from the inside, instead of from the outside.

The commission’s report lists several fixes that need to be made with the system, and NYSSBA released a statement yesterday pointing them out. What they say about the inside rules that tie school boards’ hands in budget and contract negotiations is worth listing:

• Amending the Triborough provision of the Taylor Law to exclude teacher step increments from continuation until new contracts are negotiated
• Evaluating the creation of a new pension tier that would reinstate worker contributions for the duration of their employment
• Requiring school district employees to contribute 10 percent to their individual health insurance coverage, 25 percent for family coverage
• Encouraging the creation of health care benefits trusts
Allowing school districts to opt-in to regional collective bargaining agreements
• Eliminating regulatory mandates from the State Education Department without first evaluating the fiscal impacts on local governments
• Eliminating legislative mandates without first evaluating the fiscal impact on local governments
• Repealing the Wicks Law which drives up construction costs for schools and municipalities
• Recognizing several BOCES cost-savings initiatives as a model for other school districts to follow
• Providing budgetary incentives for school district consolidation