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Sullivan County committee hears STAR notice, school-district merger questions and approves several tax-roll resolutions
Summary
Committee members were warned about a final 2024 sales-tax payment and advised to be cautious in next year’s budget; staff described a newly merged school district’s unresolved exemption questions and an urgent state STAR notice that could require homeowner responses. The committee approved several routine tax-roll corrections and a denial of one
Sullivan County management and budget committee members on Feb. 13 received updates from county staff about a final sales tax payment for 2024, the merger of two area school districts and an urgent New York State STAR notice that may require some homeowners to submit paperwork. The committee also voted on a set of routine tax-roll resolutions.
Chris, a county staff member, told the committee that the county received its last sales-tax payment for 2024 and that the amount will be subject to a later reconciliation that likely will be applied to 2025. "This number is not the exact number even now — it's the last payment because we're still gonna get the reconciliation," Chris said, adding that the final payment increased by about $180,398, or roughly 1.7 percent, compared with last year.
The staff update emphasized caution in budgeting for 2025. Nancy Buck, a county staff member, warned the committee to be conservative when setting next year’s budget forecasts. "I wouldn't... go higher, and I might even drop it a million or something next year," Buck said, urging members to watch building- and online-shopping sales categories and fuel prices that can move receipts.
The committee also heard about a recently finalized merger of the Roscoe and Livingston Manor school districts. Chris said the merged district does not yet have an operating school board and that questions remain about how exemptions — including senior and veterans exemptions and local fire district exemptions — will be carried forward. "It's my understanding that they're having a public hearing and hopefully will pass the local exemptions," Chris said, but he warned that state guidance has not fully answered whether taxpayers must reapply for some exemptions in the new district.
Chris and county staff described a separate New York State mailing to homeowners who currently receive the STAR exemption. The state letter asks recipients to submit documentation within 45 days to remain in the STAR exemption program rather than the STAR credit. The county staff noted that taxpayers using the STAR credit do not need to act. Chris advised homeowners to have their 2023 income-tax return ready when they call the state, and provided the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance number the county staff cited: (518) 457-2036.
Several clarifying points were raised in the meeting: the state’s taxable-status date normally falls on March 1 but this year falls on March 3 (a Monday), shortening the window for some exemption applications; county assessors expected to work with town attorneys to interpret state guidance for local application; and the STAR letters are being mailed by the state beginning the prior Monday, which triggers the 45-day response period.
On formal business, the committee considered and voted on multiple resolutions. Members moved and approved an introduction resolution by the Management and Budget Committee, denied one request to correct the 2024 tax roll for a parcel in the Town of Thompson, and approved a correction to the 2025 tax roll for the Town of Fallsburg. Those votes were recorded as carried by the committee. The meeting concluded after the committee approved a motion to adjourn.
The staff cautioned that several items — including whether veterans' or other local exemptions will carry forward automatically under the new merged district — remain unresolved and depend on further state guidance and actions by the newly formed district and local assessors.
Votes at a glance
- Resolution 1: Introduce (Management & Budget Committee). Motion moved (committee member), seconded; recorded outcome: approved (committee vote reported as 4–0).
- Resolution 2: Deny request to correct the 2024 tax roll (Town of Thompson, tax-map parcel referenced in meeting). Motion moved and seconded; recorded outcome: approved (deny request) (committee vote reported as 4–0).
- Resolution 3: Correct the 2025 tax roll (Town of Fallsburg). Motion moved by a committee member and seconded; recorded outcome: approved (committee vote reported as 4–0).
- Adjourn: Motion to adjourn moved by Louie Alvarez, seconded; recorded outcome: approved.
The committee did not resolve questions about whether certain exemption applicants must reapply in the newly merged Roscoe–Livingston Manor district; staff said they will continue to coordinate with town assessors and the state’s Office of Real Property Tax Services for follow-up.
