Hits: 16

 WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From County Board of Legislators. April 14, 2020:

Pursuant to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.15, the Board of Legislators has established a special phone-in procedure for the public hearing scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 14, on a proposed relief measure for property taxpayers.

The public may participate in the hearing by phone.  Participants can register to speak by 3 p.m. by calling the Clerk of Board at 914-995-4604 or sending an email to BOLpublichearingcomments@westchestergov.com.  Hearing participants will call 914-995-2800 after the public hearing is opened at 7:30 p.m. We expect public comments to be heard until 8 p.m.

The proposed measure would provide relief for Westchester property taxpayers this year because of the coronavirus epidemic.

The measure, whose details were suggested by a consortium of Town Supervisors, will give Towns the authority to reduce penalties for late payments of County and Town taxes and County district taxes, through July 15. 

It is designed to provide relief to property taxpayers while giving Towns a tool they can fairly and uniformly apply, without requiring an application by taxpayers or an administrative process of evaluating individual hardship claims.

Town and County property taxes and assessments are due April 30.

Under the proposed measure, penalties for late payments from May 1-May 31 would be reduced from two percent to one-half percent. For taxes paid from June 1 through July 15, penalties would be reduced from five percent to one percent.

Towns will have the ability to opt out of the program if they choose.

The County law would not apply to Westchester’s cities which have their own authority to set rates and do not need a change in County law to adjust penalties.

The public may also submit written comment after the hearing is opened. Responses to the public hearing may be emailed toBOLpublichearingcomments@westchestergov.com or sent by mail ATTN: Clerk of the Board of Legislators, 148 Martine Ave., 8th Floor, White Plains, NY 10601.  Written comments may be submitted up until by 5 p.m. Friday, April 17.

The hearing is on the matter of RES-2020-36: PH-Amending Westchester County Tax Law — A “LOCAL LAW amending Chapter 283 of the Laws of Westchester County relating to the Westchester County Tax Law.”     Local Law Intro 12598- 2020.

For details see the agenda of the April 14 meeting at:https://westchestercountyny.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_Meeting.aspx?ID=5701

All Board meetings are streamed live on our website, Westchesterlegislators.com.

###