Legislature Passes Bill for Greenburgh Reassessment Phase-In
As the Town of Greenburgh finalized revaluation of properties throughout the township earlier this year and residents received notice of changes in their upcoming tax payments, there was confusion and concern.
Some residents questioned the accuracy of their assessments and others with significant increases said they could not make the larger payments immediately.
Permission from the State was necessary to allow a phase-in period and in response, Assemblyman Tom Abinanti (D-Greenburgh) and Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) penned a bill that would authorize the Town of Greenburgh to adopt a local law to phase-in tax increases for certain residential properties that resulted from the recent town-wide revaluation. That bill was passed by the Legislature last week and now awaits the Governor’s approval.
The legislation (A.10551-A/S.8143), introduced at the request of the Greenburgh Town Board, authorizes the Town, after a public hearing, to adopt a local law that will exempt 66 percent of the assessment increase in the first year and 33 percent of the assessment increase in the second year. All homes will pay taxes on the full-assessed value of their homes in the third year.
This phase-in is intended to help lessen some of the impacts of the revaluation of properties in the Town.
“This legislation could help ease the burden on those homeowners, including many senior citizens, who will experience a large increase in their property taxes,” said Abinanti. “With passage of this bill those significantly impacted by revaluation could have two years to adjust their budgets to pay their higher taxes without affecting the assessments that have been lowered.”
The Town of Greenburgh had not been reassessed for over 60 years.
In order to qualify for the phase-in, the homeowner must, among other things, not be delinquent on their taxes, qualify for the STAR exemption and own a one, two or three family residential property. The phase-in is applicable only to those property owners assessed with a tax hike, not a decrease.
According to Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, some property owners have seen their taxes increase by 50 percent, 100 percent, 200 percent and even more. The neighborhoods most impacted were Irvington, Hastings and Edgemont.
The final day for residents who disagree with their revaluation to file a grievance at Town Hall to appear before the Board of Assessment and Review is today, June 21. Town Hall will be open until 9 p.m. Call the assessor’s office at 989-1520 for more information.
