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WannaBeAMom11
LIF Adult
Member since 1/11 7391 total posts
Name:
Name
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can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Move anywhere else in the country and taxes are a percentage of the home's value. Its redic that mortgages are so good BUT taxes put me way out of a comfortable budget. Its not like our schools are so great or the towns are any better than anywhere else.
I would leave if it wasnt for my friends, family and job.
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Posted 1/29/12 5:54 PM  |
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smdl
I love Gary too..on a plate!
Member since 5/06 32461 total posts
Name:
me
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
VERY high incomes at the top level! Lost of wasted resources. Corruption!
Many people who rent but do not participate in paying for educational costs. Not that I blame them that they can't afford buying a house. Just it does contribute to many people not participating in the cost of running a County. Our rate of renters is VERY high.
Message edited 1/29/2012 6:16:02 PM.
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| Posted 1/29/12 6:14 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15657 total posts
Name:
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Posted by smdl
VERY high incomes at the top level! Lost of wasted resources. Corruption!
Many people who rent but do not participate in paying for educational costs. Not that I blame them that they can't afford buying a house. Just it does contribute to many people not participating in the cost of running a County. Our rate of renters is VERY high.
The homeowner is paying taxes on the house that they aren't living in though, which is built into the rent. So essentially the renters ARE paying the taxes. Legal renters I'm speaking of. Maybe you meant illegal apartments.
Message edited 1/29/2012 6:36:43 PM.
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| Posted 1/29/12 6:35 PM |
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MegZee
My bunny
Member since 5/06 8777 total posts
Name:
Meaghan
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Most other places have county or school districts. li has a million.
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| Posted 1/29/12 6:49 PM |
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Babymakin
LIF Adult
Member since 12/10 920 total posts
Name:
Sarah
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
I am renting right now, but have a bid in for a house.
As a legal renter part of my rent goes to taxes. So I DO pay taxes. Maybe not directly, but I do pay taxes.
Taxes are high, mostly, because of the schools. Also the pention and other costs of retired civil servant sis off the charts. I THInK there is (or certainly was) doubble dipping. If you had 2 jobs you could get 2 pentions.
I'm not saying it's not earned or deserved. Just that it's an astronomical cost.
We also have scool chancellors (or whatever they are) making 150+ a year. It's sucking the life out of taxes. There seems to be no organization to school systems and some spending is off the charts. I agree with the tax cap by the way.
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| Posted 1/29/12 7:00 PM |
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tara73
carseat nerd
Member since 11/09 3669 total posts
Name:
Buttercup
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Posted by smdl
VERY high incomes at the top level! Lost of wasted resources. Corruption!
Many people who rent but do not participate in paying for educational costs. Not that I blame them that they can't afford buying a house. Just it does contribute to many people not participating in the cost of running a County. Our rate of renters is VERY high.
Actually, LI's rate of renters is actually lower than other comparable areas (like Westchester Couny), it's just more problematic here because of the amount of NON legal rentals and a shortage of legal rentals.
Legal renters pay into the system via their landlord or property management company. A legal rental or an apartment complex is taxed at a higher rate than a single family home. Complexes are normally taxed at commercial rates and typically have fewer people using the schools than single family home owners. The majority of renters do not even have children in the system. The majority of renters tend to be singles, younger couples saving for a home, empty nesters downsizing, disabled etc.
Not everyone wants to own, even when they can afford it.
Major part of the reason LI taxes are so high are the pensions. Corruption is another issue. Public sector salaries and benefits contribute as well as just basic mismanagement and politics.
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| Posted 1/29/12 7:51 PM |
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LL514
LIF Adult
Member since 4/10 1901 total posts
Name:
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Posted by Babymakin
I am renting right now, but have a bid in for a house.
As a legal renter part of my rent goes to taxes. So I DO pay taxes. Maybe not directly, but I do pay taxes.
Taxes are high, mostly, because of the schools. Also the pention and other costs of retired civil servant sis off the charts. I THInK there is (or certainly was) doubble dipping. If you had 2 jobs you could get 2 pentions.
I'm not saying it's not earned or deserved. Just that it's an astronomical cost.
We also have scool chancellors (or whatever they are) making 150+ a year. It's sucking the life out of taxes. There seems to be no organization to school systems and some spending is off the charts. I agree with the tax cap by the way.
do you know the details of the tax cap?
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| Posted 1/29/12 8:53 PM |
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Babymakin
LIF Adult
Member since 12/10 920 total posts
Name:
Sarah
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Posted by LL514
Posted by Babymakin
I am renting right now, but have a bid in for a house.
As a legal renter part of my rent goes to taxes. So I DO pay taxes. Maybe not directly, but I do pay taxes.
Taxes are high, mostly, because of the schools. Also the pention and other costs of retired civil servant sis off the charts. I THInK there is (or certainly was) doubble dipping. If you had 2 jobs you could get 2 pentions.
I'm not saying it's not earned or deserved. Just that it's an astronomical cost.
We also have scool chancellors (or whatever they are) making 150+ a year. It's sucking the life out of taxes. There seems to be no organization to school systems and some spending is off the charts. I agree with the tax cap by the way.
do you know the details of the tax cap?
http://www.governor.ny.gov/press/6302011HistoricPropertyTaxCap
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| Posted 1/29/12 10:36 PM |
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JDubs
different, not less
Member since 7/09 13160 total posts
Name:
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
the school taxes is what kills us.
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| Posted 1/30/12 9:45 AM |
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ISpoilHim
I think I got this
Member since 11/10 1523 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Posted by smdl
VERY high incomes at the top level! Lost of wasted resources. Corruption!
Many people who rent but do not participate in paying for educational costs. Not that I blame them that they can't afford buying a house. Just it does contribute to many people not participating in the cost of running a County. Our rate of renters is VERY high.
I rent and my rent goes up every year as property taxes rise. My lease stipulates a base tax rate and if they go up yearly, the rate increases proportionately.
Renters, legal or illegal apts, do pay RE taxes. When someone rents out an illegal apt, the cost of RE taxes is factored into the monthly rent. And the person who owns the home is paying the RE taxes regardless of who lives there.
When I was in school, we had to walk a mile and a half to school each way. Now, kids get a bus starting at a half mile and in some districts that bus stops at every house even if the houses are next to each other. That eats up money.
We keep asking for more and more from our school districts, but then we complain when the RE taxes go up. Somehow the things that we want the schools to do has to be paid for. It's through RE taxes. More teachers, smaller classes, newer buildings, etc. all comes at a cost.
BTW - we rent by choice. My husband and I work long schedules and only have 1 day off a week. Just doing the chores in our apartment is hard, if we had to add in yard work and everything else, we just would not have any time. People are always trying to convince us to buy and when they hear my speech about why renting works better, they want to sell their homes and rent.
Message edited 1/30/2012 12:01:01 PM.
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| Posted 1/30/12 10:21 AM |
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HeyJude
LIF Adolescent
Member since 9/07 820 total posts
Name:
p
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Message edited 6/4/2012 11:06:17 AM.
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| Posted 1/30/12 1:18 PM |
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CAMCaps
Live Laugh Love Run
Member since 6/07 4922 total posts
Name:
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Posted by havinababy
I have relatives in Bergen County, CT and Rockland County-their taxes are in-line with what we pay on LI. I think we are paying the price of living so close to NYC. I tried to get DH to consider buying on the other side of the River, but since taxes and house prices were pretty much the same, I lost-oh well!
I live in the Capital Region and my taxes are only a little less than my parents' taxes in Nassau County. I think it is a Northeast problem.
Also - here is the deal with the "tax cap." I use the term cap loosely:
Although the new law has been referred to as a “2 percent tax cap,” it does not in fact restrict any proposed tax levy increase to 2 percent. The law does, however, require at least 60 percent voter approval for a school budget if the proposed levy increase exceeds a certain amount.
That amount, called the “tax levy limit,” will be determined by each district according to a complex formula outlined in the law, and will vary by district.
FAQ
Q. Does the new tax cap law mean school tax levies can’t increase by more than 2 percent?
No, the law does not prohibit tax levy increases greater than 2 percent. Despite how it’s been described by some politicians and the media, the legislation signed into law in June requires every district to calculate its own “tax levy limit.” Two percent (or the rate of inflation, if less) is just one of eight factors in this calculation.
The law also establishes a higher threshold of voter approval for a budget to pass if a district’s proposed tax levy increase (before exemptions outlined in the law) exceeds its individual “tax levy limit.”
Q. What is a “tax levy limit?”
For school districts, the “tax levy limit” is the highest allowable tax levy (before exemptions) that a school district can propose as part of its annual budget for which only the approval of a simple majority of voters (more than 50 percent) is required. Any proposed tax levy amount above this limit will require budget approval by a supermajority (60 percent or more) of voters.
Essentially, the “tax levy limit” sets a threshold requiring districts to obtain a higher level of community support for a proposed tax levy above a certain amount. However, the new legislation does not place a limit on any taxes a school district would levy to pay for expenditures related to specific “exempt” items, including some court orders, some pension costs and local capital expenditures. These items are then added to the “tax levy limit” to arrive at the “allowable” tax levy limit.
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| Posted 1/30/12 8:46 PM |
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Dulcinea
Weekend Warrior
Member since 3/08 2530 total posts
Name:
Dulcinea
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
It's all about economy of scale ...
I live in NJ and we have the exact same problem here. Like in LI, taxes here are easily 2-3% of home value. National average is more like 1%. Why?
In NJ (566 towns, 616 school districts) and parts of LI (125 school districts), there are way too many districts with their own schools system, fire dept., police dept., etc. Each headed by its own admininistration. Do we really need that?
In comparison, with a population of 5.7M, 2M less than LI, Maryland has just 24 school systems...
The answer is just to consolidate these departments with other towns so we reduce the overhead/admin cost.
Case in point, we have a small town called Teterboro, in NJ that has a total of 40 residents and 23 public workers. Is that really necessary? :P
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| Posted 1/31/12 10:22 AM |
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astroqueen74
Vibrant Health
Member since 1/07 2822 total posts
Name:
Karina
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Posted by tarabelle99
Posted by smdl
VERY high incomes at the top level! Lost of wasted resources. Corruption!
Many people who rent but do not participate in paying for educational costs. Not that I blame them that they can't afford buying a house. Just it does contribute to many people not participating in the cost of running a County. Our rate of renters is VERY high.
Actually, LI's rate of renters is actually lower than other comparable areas (like Westchester Couny), it's just more problematic here because of the amount of NON legal rentals and a shortage of legal rentals.
Legal renters pay into the system via their landlord or property management company. A legal rental or an apartment complex is taxed at a higher rate than a single family home. Complexes are normally taxed at commercial rates and typically have fewer people using the schools than single family home owners. The majority of renters do not even have children in the system. The majority of renters tend to be singles, younger couples saving for a home, empty nesters downsizing, disabled etc.
Not everyone wants to own, even when they can afford it.
TOTALLY AGREE WITH THIS!::
Major part of the reason LI taxes are so high are the pensions. Corruption is another issue. Public sector salaries and benefits contribute as well as just basic mismanagement and politics.
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| Posted 2/2/12 9:11 PM |
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LotsaLuv
Us
Member since 6/10 4094 total posts
Name:
F
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Westchester and Rockland have high taxes as well, my Aunt lives in Yonkers and pays about the same as me in Massapequa Park, but it's not property tax, that is only 2k out of my almost 10k tax bill.
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| Posted 2/3/12 7:04 AM |
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Mill188
LIF Adult
Member since 3/09 3073 total posts
Name:
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Because as Long Islanders we don't want to make the necessary cuts. We have 126 school districts across two counties. We have special water districts, fire districts, sewer districts, garbage districts, lighting districts, etc.
All of these districts must generate enough money to pay employee salaries, health insurance and most important - pensions!
The mere mention of consolidating any of these services throws people into a tizzy.
We don't want to give up any of our services. My BFF lives in PA - they need to take their garbage to the dump - would we be willing to do that? They use the State police not a local County force. They have no sewers. They have no street lights. Their water bill is 5 times what ours is.
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| Posted 2/3/12 10:37 AM |
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Pray4Baby2010
<3 Cutest Giants Fan
Member since 10/09 5796 total posts
Name:
MB
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
my aunt pays $600 a year for her taxes in Florida- but she has to send her son to private school to the tune of $15,000 per year.... that is in essence her taxes
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| Posted 2/3/12 12:25 PM |
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
I think it's because we allow it. I live in the Town of Hempstead and due to the animal shelter issue have attended every town board meeting since October 2010. The town has 2 board meetings a month and almost all of them are during the work day, making it almost impossible for working residents to be there. The meeting where the town presents the annual budget is held once in the morning and once in the evening. The fact that almost noone was there this past year to hear where our taxes go and why they are so high, speaks volumes to me. Nobody wants to "fight city hall" so until we have our own "Occupy Your Town" they'll continue to get away with ripping off the taxpayers and we'll continue to pay these outrageous bills!
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| Posted 2/3/12 12:46 PM |
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KittyKatCopper
missing my handsome boy
Member since 3/09 1579 total posts
Name:
Kat - HamptonsBride (LIW)
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Posted by Mill188
We don't want to give up any of our services. My BFF lives in PA - they need to take their garbage to the dump - would we be willing to do that?
I live out east & do not get garbage service with my taxes..I have to go to a dump & buy the garbage bags they sell to throw my stuff away (it used to be free) or I could pay extra and hire private sanitation. I also have a cesspool so no public sewer...but we do have town water. I feel like I get nothing for what I pay. Hope to be moving out of NY soon!
Message edited 2/4/2012 10:13:43 AM.
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| Posted 2/4/12 10:13 AM |
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marianne13
LIF Adolescent
Member since 6/10 887 total posts
Name:
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Mainly the schools. Also there aren't many big businesses to pick up the taxes. NYC property taxes are so low for homeowners because there are so many big companies who pay a big chunk of the property taxes. There are homes in the neighborhood I grew up in (Astoria) that sell for $700k + and the property taxes are around $4k.
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| Posted 2/4/12 8:29 PM |
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Nifheim
allo
Member since 1/09 5476 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
i am not getting into the who civil servants are leaches argument because most of us are not. I do agree all civil servants should pay for their health insurance (i do) and pay into their pension (I will be paying for most of my career) for their entire career and no padding (not allowed to do in my contract.)
LI has high salaries therefore we can "afford" to pay more.
We have a lot of services that many don't have out of state.
Illegal renters - huge issue that really needs to be cracked down. My parents rented illegally and was caught and I completely agree with them having to tear out the apartment. No reason to do this.
Then we come to the school budget - there needs to be a way to figure out a way to control school expenses. Consolidate, reform and parents need to understand that they don't need new computers every other year, or go without ipads in the classroom, focus on the basics of education in elementary school then broaden as children get older.
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| Posted 2/5/12 9:06 AM |
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Posted by KittyKatCopper
Posted by Mill188
We don't want to give up any of our services. My BFF lives in PA - they need to take their garbage to the dump - would we be willing to do that?
I live out east & do not get garbage service with my taxes..I have to go to a dump & buy the garbage bags they sell to throw my stuff away (it used to be free) or I could pay extra and hire private sanitation. I also have a cesspool so no public sewer...but we do have town water. I feel like I get nothing for what I pay. Hope to be moving out of NY soon!
Southampton town taxes are the lowest in the county, I'd kill to have those tax rates. I lived there for several years and it was annoying to take your own trash but I would love to pay those taxes again.
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| Posted 2/5/12 9:18 AM |
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Erica
LIF Adult
Member since 5/05 11767 total posts
Name:
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Re: can someone explain to me why taxes on L.I. are so high?
Posted by Babymakin
Taxes are high, mostly, because of the schools. Also the pention and other costs of retired civil servant sis off the charts.
The average NYS civil servant pension is $19K a year. 75% of NYS pensions are under $30K
There has also been an additional tier, implemented 2 years ago, which is projected to save $35 Billion over 30 years.
The NYS teachers' fund actually was one of the few pensions that survived this economic downfall unscathed. This is the reason that politicians are telling the public that pensions are evil. They want the public to think they are the enemy, so that they allow the state to get their hands on the money.
I THInK there is (or certainly was) doubble dipping. If you had 2 jobs you could get 2 pentions.
There are some double dippers out there - most asst superintendents of business. There are so few people that are certified in this, that districts don't have much of a choice to hire retirees (so the retiree gets a pension and a full salary). If I had a business background, I would so go into this. But the district would have to pay someone in the job anyway, so it's not much of a money sucker.
We also have scool chancellors (or whatever they are) making 150+ a year. It's sucking the life out of taxes. There seems to be no organization to school systems and some spending is off the charts. I agree with the tax cap by the way.
try $250k minimum...up to $400K+ ITA that if the schools merge this would be great for our taxes. I think the problem lies with salaries. When Elwood superintendent asked surrounding districts to merge, one caveat would be that he would become a building principal at his current salary! $250K for a building principal? $100K more than the current HS principal!
In addition, during mergers, teachers salaries usually negotiate upwards to even out with the higher paid district. It seems logical that Cold Spring Harbor and Huntington should merge. But the cost of bringing Huntington teachers' salaries up would be a huge hit to taxpayers.
catch 22
Posted by marianne13
There are homes in the neighborhood I grew up in (Astoria) that sell for $700k + and the property taxes are around $4k.
NYC has income tax though, which evens out the property tax break
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| Posted 2/5/12 9:28 AM |
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