The county government committee approved a request to credit unpaid property taxes for land now owned by New York State after staff said the property should have been exempt when the state acquired it.

Staff told the committee that when the state purchased the parcel the assessor did not mark it wholly tax exempt, and that the property has been billed for taxes going back to 2018. County staff said they received official notification from the state in December 2024 confirming the property is state-owned and should be tax-exempt.

A staff member explained that state law limits retroactive tax corrections to three years, and that the treasurer's office together with the county attorney's office will process any refunds or credits consistent with that limit. The committee moved and seconded the resolution and the chair called the vote: "All in favor." The motion carried.

Committee members did not state specific dollar amounts in the meeting. Staff said the state had not paid the billed amounts and that the county will process the adjustment now that the state has provided official notice. Staff indicated they would coordinate with the treasurer and county attorney on next steps.

Staff also noted they did not receive an earlier official notification from the state until December 2024, which delayed the correction.

Next steps: Staff will calculate the amount eligible for credit under the three-year statutory limit and coordinate the refund or credit process with the treasurer and county attorney.