Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Renewable Energy Assessment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Canajoharie board urges governor to veto state bill changing solar and wind tax assessments
Summary
The Canajoharie Town Board unanimously passed Resolution #13 (2025) urging Gov. Kathy Hochul to veto S.8012/A.8332, saying the bill's discounted cash-flow assessment and treatment of credits and host community payments would lower assessed values for large-scale renewables and reduce municipal tax revenue.
The Town Board of Canajoharie unanimously adopted RESOLUTION #13 of 2025 at its July 10 meeting, calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to veto S.8012/A.8332, legislation that would change how solar and wind energy systems are assessed for property tax purposes. The resolution said the bill's required use of a discounted cash-flow approach and its treatment of host community payments and federal tax credits would "result in a significant reduction in the assessed value of large-scale solar and wind installations," diminishing tax revenue for counties and municipalities.
Supervisor Michael Muhlebeck introduced the resolution and the board recorded five affirmative votes (Supervisor Muhlebeck; Councilmen William Armitstead, Rodney Young, Mike Ehrenreich and Raymond Kiefl). The resolution directs copies be forwarded to Gov. Kathy Hochul, Assemblyman Smullen, Senator Fahy and the New York State Association of Counties. The resolution text states the board "strongly urges Governor Kathy Hochul to veto S.8012/A.8332" to preserve municipalities' ability to generate tax revenue from commercial energy developments.
Board members framed the measure as a fiscal-protection step for the town, saying prior state formulas already limited tax collections on large renewable sites and that further reductions would shift tax burdens to residents and small businesses. The minutes record the board's concerns that the bill could "erode the long-term fiscal stability of local governments" if adopted.
No formal dissent was recorded in the minutes. The board's vote and the instruction to forward the resolution complete the formal action taken on the item.
