Chaos in Carmel as New Tax Assessments Are Received

By Anna Young

Hundreds of Carmel residents and property owners united at Wednesday’s town board meeting to express their frustration and anger following the town’s property tax reevaluation.

After roughly 13,000 disclosure notices were mailed out on March 1, residents exceeded the capacity limit at Carmel town hall during the March 8 meeting to address their concerns over the substantial increase in property tax some are facing to their homes. The public comment portion of the meeting lasted more than three hours, as residents and property owners lashed out at town board members.

“You gave us eviction letters, this is not a tax increase, you’re going to have a town that’s dead and you’ve taken it upon yourselves to destroy that” said Margarita Chirurgi, a resident of Mahopac Point who said she received a 130 percent increase on her home. “We’re crying everyday not knowing where we’re going to live, what do I tell my children?”

Another resident added that crippling the community would result in the worst long-term decision the board will ever make.

“I’m leaving. I decided when the reevaluation came out my family is moving upstate and my kids are devastated,” said a seven year resident of Williamsburg Ridge. “I work 12 hour days, paycheck-to-paycheck and then I’m going up $4,000 and I own a townhouse.”

Resident Elisa Grotto feels homeowners who live on the lake were hit the hardest.

“I don’t know if people think that we have the money because we live on the lake, but I can’t figure out how you came up with this price of my land which is on a slope,” Grotto said. “I’m lucky to live on the lake, I know that, but I lived there since 1998 and now I’m being forced to leave.”

Many residents who received anywhere from a 50 percent to a 300 percent increase also stated that nobody contacted them to evaluate the exterior and interior of their homes.

Town Supervisor Kenny Schmitt instructed residents that if they are unhappy with their assessment to make an appointment with representatives from Vision Government Solutions advising them to bring photographs, recent appraisals, sales in the area and measurements in order to receive a lower assessment. Vision Government Solutions representatives will be at Carmel town hall until April 8 to hear concerns from homeowner and property owners.

“Take a look at your 2017 market value, if that number is higher than what you can sell your house and your property for, call immediately and talk to Vision,” Councilman Jonathan Schneider said. “There are some people who have higher values on their house than what it’s worth, fight for it.”

While as many as 53 property owners made appointments within the first day of receiving their assessment, residents don’t feel it’s fair they are being given a three week window to speak to Vision before the assessment is implemented in May.

“You gave (Vision Government Solutions) two and a half years to do their job and now we’re given three weeks to speak to Vision and we have to give them information,” said Michael Barile, a 42-year resident. “This is not a game, there are people that are going to lose their houses.”

Joe Shultz, an 18-year resident, said his assessment doubled after closing on his lake view home only six weeks ago.

“I paid premium on this home six or seven weeks ago at a $30,000 tax rate, you just devalued my house by almost 50 percent overnight,” Schultz said. “I want to reassess the numbers, we have a right to recalculate.”

Schultz requested the model used to perform the calculations and was advised to submit a Freedom of Information Act request to Vision.

Residents also agreed a moratorium on the tax reassessment would be best for the community.

Councilman John Lupinacci said while many homeowners are upset at the increases, the board must also consider the owners that are now paying less than they were previously paying in property taxes.

Schmitt said if the board implements a halt it would be for a one-year cycle.

“I personally have heard you and clearly know where you’re coming from and I’m not comfortable either with the results that I’m seeing and hearing,” Schmitt said. “I will personally look at every option that’s available to us before we implement this and go forward with it. We need to go back and rethink this, look at the numbers again, look at the evaluations before we do anything.”

While Schmitt commended the community for coming out and expressing themselves, community members assured they would return to board meetings until the town supports a pause on the reassessment. Barile said with each meeting, residents and property owners in attendance would double. The board meets again this Wednesday at 7 p.m.