Lacks understanding

Carroll Quinn Martin’s recent letter shows a serious lack of understanding of the property- tax situation as it exists in the northeast. He says he does not know anyone who pays that much, and that someone who does would have to have an income into six figures. As a longtime resident of New York, I can say with certainty that such tax amounts are not uncommon.

Real property tax in New York generally is broken out into town, county, and school district taxes, school taxes making up about 2/3 of the total. There is no personal property tax, as in Arkansas. The average single-family home in Westchester, Nassau and Rockland counties paid, respectively, $16,500; $12,300; and $11,232 in real property taxes in 2016, all well over the new $10,000 limit. Suffolk was not far behind at $9,333. My brother lives in north Jersey; he tells me the situation is similar there.

A $100,000 income in the New York metro area does not make one rich, just middle class. Most of those folks are getting by OK, but they are hardly in the country club set.

While I suspect those governors are suing the feds with an eye toward their state and county budgets, which will take a hit if property values stagnate, they are right to protect their constituents, most of whom, in the counties I mention, tend to vote Republican. THOMAS A. BECKETT

Siloam Springs