Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Tax Relief topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Town assessor previews draft local law for storm-related property tax relief
Summary
The town assessor previewed a proposed local law giving the town local-option authority to exempt storm-damaged properties from part of their tax assessment; she said options, documentation standards and thresholds will be drafted and circulated for review, with a targeted mid‑June delivery.
The town assessor briefed the board on May 13 about a proposed local law that would permit property-tax relief by local option for properties rendered partially or wholly uninhabitable by storms. The assessor described the proposal as an outline that will be converted to a local-law form and distributed to the board and to villages and school districts for feedback.
The assessor said the draft will present selectable options for the town board: the exemption percentage, the documentation required (including a recommended FEMA response for major disasters), and whether the assessor alone or the assessor together with building officials will make determinations. "If the property is 10% ... or 50%, that's a choice that we make that I will bring to you," the assessor said, noting the need to balance timeliness and accuracy.
The assessor said the town could be among the first in the state to enact such a local-option law and emphasized careful drafting; she expects to have a completed local-law draft after her tentative assessor role is finalized in early to mid-June and recommended distributing the draft to villages and school districts for their consideration.
Board members asked about the timing and impact to homeowners if the adoption is delayed; the assessor said the law can be applied retroactively to 01/01/2020 (as discussed in the meeting) and that staff will prepare a public-hearing schedule once the draft is circulated. The public hearing on the climate-change/property-tax-relief local law was discussed during agenda review; board staff noted rescheduling and follow-up dates for hearings and comment.
The board agreed to let the assessor produce the formal local-law draft and circulate supporting materials to allow informed review before a public hearing.
