Residents press board on reassessment frequency and affordability; supervisor schedules assessor discussion

Residents used both the two-minute and five-minute public-comment slots on June 24 to press the town board on property assessment policy and affordability.

Laurie Duffalo said seniors and long-term residents fear repeated reassessments and urged the board to explore options such as multi-year freezes or alternative reassessment cadences (she cited Scarsdale’s non-reassessment approach). Several speakers warned that reassessment changes can produce sudden increases in assessed value that feel like tax shocks even when tax bills do not rise proportionally.

Supervisor Paul Feiner said the town follows New York State guidance to maintain statistically up-to-date assessments, noting the assessor must track improvements and building permits between full reassessments. Feiner said he would request that the assessor, Edie McCarthy, appear at the board’s upcoming work session on Tuesday to discuss options — including whether a temporary reassessment pause or a targeted tax freeze for elderly, cash‑poor but home‑rich residents might be viable under state law.

Speakers including Stefan Chasnov and Hugh Schwartz offered context: one urged caution about revenue impacts (referencing Proposition 13 in California and its effects on municipal services) while another described how assessment methodology affects tax rate calculations. The board agreed to schedule an assessor briefing to weigh options and impacts before advancing any policy changes.