The Governor has launched what is now being dubbed the “No Excuses” push to freeze New York property taxes with a new website and #CutPropTax, but many Long Island home owners are still concerned they won’t get the relief they need.
Taking the state from a $10 billion dollar deficit to a surplus, and using that surplus to offer some relief is a great thing, especially while reviving the state’s business scene. However, many still aren’t satisfied.
Those in districts which blew through their tax caps are reportedly not going to get any relief from the new plan according to press coverage. That’s a lot of homeowners. Plus with an average savings of just $500 according to LongIsland.com, when some area’s average tax bill is over $5,000 many won’t see a meaningful reduction. Especially in cases where they may be getting over taxed to the tune of thousands already.
All efforts to cut property taxes in New York should be applauded. They are much needed. Still, the new push certainly raises some important questions. For example after hearing about the multimillion dollar Healthcare.gov debacle, how much was spent on the new www.CutProperty Taxes.ny.gov website? How much is still being spent on closed buildings, including schools? Perhaps there are valid reasons locals don’t want these lands handed over to developers, but with districts like Island Trees blowing $200,000 a year on schools which have been closed for two decades alone, surely there are longer term cuts to be made which can help with the larger tax burden. Just think about how much is wasted by government on appeal paperwork and sending out property tax refunds each year?
Officials keep acknowledging and saying the tax system is broken and acknowledge residents are being overcharged so how much to fix that once and for all? Would that really cost more than the $2 billion being spent on temporary breaks?
It would definitely be an interesting figure to know. Until then, or there is enough pressure to force a grander change it is still on the individual property owner to file a property tax grievance with the help of a local property tax adjuster to battle not to be overcharged.