October 10, 20008
by June Farnham
When is the town board actually going to discuss town-wide revaluation of properties to create greater tax equity throughout the town? I thought the town board’s October 7, 2008, work session conducted at Westorchard Elementary School was going to involve a discussion of a town-wide revaluation, but when the agenda was finally available and only 20 minutes were allotted to the subject, it became clear that there would be little of substance said on revaluation at that meeting.
In Supervisor Gerrard’s introduction to the subject, she asked for residents’ views on the tax situation. When the board received them, they did not respond, but immediately went on to the next agenda item. I was surprised there was not even the courtesy of a “thank you, we hear your comments on the tax situation in New Castle and will consider them.” Admittedly, some residents were quite strident, but that did not justify the town board’s silence. The town board wanted residents of Millwood and the West End to attend, but the town board gave us nothing on the tax front – only that they would be talking about the issue over the next months.
The town board was once again offering only minimal appeasement by allowing residents to express their concerns. Their silent response spoke volumes about the town board’s continuing indifference to the unfair tax situation in the West End where school taxes have gone up 10% this year following years of excessively high taxes.
Continued inaction by town board
After an October 23, 2007 tax assessment expert’s presentation on tax equity to the town board, we waited nine months, until July 2008, for the town’s attorney to write a brief list of questions in a letter to the New York State Office of Real Property Services regarding the viability of creating a school district “neighborhood” for tax purposes.
The July 17, 2008 Office of Real Property Services’ prompt response stated “an assessor may change the assessment of a particular … neighborhood, but if challenged, he or she must be prepared to show how any changes bring assessments into line with those of other properties whose assessments go unchanged.” West_End_Tax_Equity_—_ORPS_reply_July_17,_2008_(2).pdf
Residents in the West End viewed this response as positive. But the town board has taken no action. Last night we received a few words from the town board to the effect that they would look into it, but no time table and program on how they plan to proceed.
In conclusion, what is the town board’s time frame and program to discuss town-wide revaluation? There is no issue more important to residents in the West End than the soaring school, town, and county taxes, especially at this time as our home values decrease, retirement savings shrink precipitously, gas and fuel bills skyrocket and the economy contracts, imperiling our jobs.
June Farnham has lived in the West End of New Castle since 2002. She is a member of the Millwood Task Force and WENT (West End Neighborhood Taxpayers).
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