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Clinton County presents plan to collect Cortland city property taxes on county schedule; council to consider intermunicipal agreement
Summary
County finance officials proposed that the county collect city property taxes on the county schedule beginning with a 2027 transition year, promising to make the city whole during the change and to assume delinquency‑collection costs; council members asked for draft clarifications and charter-date changes.
Kathy Bishop (speaker 13), chair of finance administration for the Clinton County legislature, presented the county’s proposal to assume collection of Cortland city real‑property taxes on the county schedule. Bishop said the plan would include a transitional year in 2027, after which taxes would be collected on the county’s January–April schedule, and the county would make the city whole for timing differences and assume costs for delinquency collection.
Bishop said the change would consolidate administration, speed receipts to the city and increase interest potential: "We would make you whole when the taxes are collected," she said. County staff (speaker 14) added that banks are accustomed to preparing escrow statements on a January schedule, which should ease the transition. Council members raised questions about a draft agreement provided the same day, possible audit obligations before property assumption and the need to amend charter dates and repeal an older council resolution that had previously elected the city out of countywide collection.
The council considered a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign an intermunicipal agreement, asked staff to return with a finalized draft and noted several charter and procedural items that would need amendment if the council moves forward.
