On February 19th, 2013, the New York State Teacher’s Union (NYSUT) made good on its threat to challenge Cuomo’s property tax cap on schools by commencing an action in Supreme Court. The lawsuit, spearheaded by a plaintiffs group composed of teachers, taxpayers, and even parents, alleges in a 50-page complaint how Cumo’s tax cap harms school districts that serve low-income areas (creates… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: property tax cap
Op Ed from Syracuse’s Mayor, Stephanie Minor, Hints That RPTL Reform Is Needed
Posted in Assessments, Assessors, Exemptions, School Districts, ValuationA recent New York Time’s Op Ed post on February 13, 2013 from City of Syracuse Mayor, Stephanie Minor, states that “the model of using property taxes to finance schools, police, fire, sanitation and other services is no longer sustainable.” For years, we have heard from assessors, attorneys and appraisers heavily involved in assessment litigation that NYS needs to find another way… Continue Reading
In The Matter Of Teachers vs. The Property Tax Cap
Posted in UncategorizedThe New York State Teachers Union (“NYSUT”), long time opponents of the real property tax cap, is threatening to test the tax cap’s legitimacy. In a recent article, NYSUT threatened to sue the State over the tax cap in state court. Citing issues with equity and whether democratic processes were followed when the tax cap was enacted, NYSUT’s… Continue Reading
Nassau Taxpayers Expecting Refunds May Have to Wait Until 2013 for Relief
Posted in Assessments, Assessors, SettlementOn August 8, 2012 Nassau County filed a Notice of Appeal, which stayed Judge Thomas Adams’ Order that required the County to pay property tax refunds within 60 days, or risk having its bank accounts seized. While the County stated it filed the notice of appeal to preserve its rights, the appeal only prolongs the inevitable: the County must return to its… Continue Reading
New York’s Property Tax Reform: Better Business or Business as Usual?
Posted in Assessments, School Districts, UncategorizedIn our last post, we discussed Governor Cuomo’s September 27 press release in which the Governor’s office lauded the success of the property tax cap and the huge long-term benefits it will purportedly provide for the State’s taxpayers. However, in a Background Paper issued on October 9, 2013, the Tax Foundation concluded that the business tax climate of New York State… Continue Reading
NY Property Tax Cap Update – Cuomo Says…
Posted in School DistrictsOn September 27, Governor Cuomo issued a press release and a colorful report lauding the success of the property tax cap (for a quick summary of what exactly the tax cap is, check out the Governor’s webpage). The NY Daily Times touted that the program will bring “huge long-term benefits for taxpayers and the state’s economy”… Continue Reading
NY Property Tax Cap Update – Survey Says…
Posted in School DistrictsUncertain. After the initial school district budget votes on May 15, 96.4% of school district budgets passed. That number increased to 99.7% after the second round of voting. In the end, only two districts (Oppenheim-Ephratah in Fulton County and Cheektowaga-Sloan in Erie County) were left without a voter-approved budget. So, what was the big deal with… Continue Reading
Real Property Tax Law Reform – Revise Exemptions, Find Mandate Relief
Posted in Assessments, Exemptions“Mandates” – a dirty word. These days, the mere utterance of this word sends shivers down the overburdened backbone of New York State’s citizenry. Mandates cause our property tax payments to soar but, we are told, these mandates are imperative to the proper functioning of our society, government, and our public programs. One way to… Continue Reading
The Future of Power Plants in New York: An Examination of the AES Power Plant in Somerset, New York
Posted in Assessments, UtilitiesWhat does the future hold for power plants in New York? If the AES Energy Plant in Somerset, New York is any indication, the future appears to be bleak. High coal prices and low wholesale prices for electricity have conspired together to form a volatile business environment in New York State for coal-burning power plants, leaving many… Continue Reading
Property Tax Assessment Appeals: On The Rise Everywhere
Posted in Assessments, ValuationProperty owners across the nation are not sitting idly by any more. It appears more and more individuals and corporations have noticed that waiting for the government to fix their property tax issues is not going to get the job done when all seem to be suffering financially. To that end, a recent Chicago Tribune article about the large… Continue Reading
A Blunt Instrument – The Effect of the Property Tax Cap on School District Budgets
Posted in Assessments, School DistrictsNew Yorkers pay some of the highest property taxes in the nation. The property tax burden on taxpayers in New York has been widely criticized, by the New York State Business Council among others, for its negative impact on attracting businesses and creating jobs in the state. As a result, the State legislature adopted the Property Tax Cap… Continue Reading