October 15, 2007 - Your www.EyeOnTi.com staff is pleased to feature several articles written recently by representatives of other property tax reform groups in New York State:
(7) Guest Corner
October 15, 2007 - Your www.EyeOnTi.com staff is pleased to feature several articles written recently by representatives of other property tax reform groups in New York State:
click here to read an article by
Judith Gustafson, Member & Founding Chair (2004-2006)
Property Tax Reform Task Force
Cottekill NY 12419
click here to read an article by
Carole Kraus, Leader
The Property Tax Reform Task Force
click here to read an article by
Irv Feiner
Nyack, New York
September 22, 2006 - Saranac Lake resident Joe Mercurio is very concerned about the property tax crisis in his community in Saranac Lake / Kiwassa Lake / Harrietstown. To read his comments at our Guest Corner, click here. (To read his personal property tax story, click here.)
August 30 , 2006
- Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward has just released a "Taxpayer Update". To read her update, click here.
Our first guest comments were in August 2005, fromTiconderoga Supervisor Bob Dedrick. To see Bob's comments, scroll down this page.
Do YOU have someone you'd like to hear from in our "Guest Corner"? To contact us,
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From Ticonderoga Town Supervisor Bob Dedrick
August 2005
I want to take this opportunity to do two things: to talk to you about property taxes in Ticonderoga and to welcome a new web site to Ticonderoga: “EyeOnTi.com”
The new web site “EyeOnTi.com” is up and running right now! –- Please go to a computer and go on the internet and take a look at it!
As you can see, “EyeOnTi.com” is keeping its eye on an important issue facing all of us property owners in Ticonderoga: property taxes. “EyeOnTi.com” has a section you can click on entitled “Why We Need Property Tax Reform”. It describes the crisis many Ticonderoga property owners feel right now and why we need property tax reform.
In May this year I and our entire Ticonderoga Town Board signed a letter to encourage Ticonderoga property owners to let us know if they supported the need for property tax reform. To date, over 450 signed petitions have been submitted. “EyeOnTi.com” gives you an update in the section “Current Petition Status”. And, if you haven’t yet seen our May Ticonderoga Town Board letter and want a copy of the petition, you can print these out at “EyeOnTi.com”. It’s not too late to submit your signed petition.
Your town board and I will continue to do all that we can to keep our town budget under control in order to reduce the town property tax rate and keep your town property taxes as low as possible. Similarly, we have conveyed to the Ticonderoga school board the urgent need for them to do the same with the Ticonderoga school budget.
You can also use “EyeOnTi.com” to submit your questions and comments, contact the web site, read guest statements, learn more about what you can do, and check upcoming events. Sponsors of the petition have a section entitled “Desirable Property Tax Reform Legislation”. “EyeOnTi.com” is NOT a town web site and is not run by the town board. Rather, it plans to focus on issues of concern in our town. For the time being, “EyeOnTi.com” will focus exclusively on the effort to reform property taxes.
PROPERTY TAXES IN TICONDEROGA
None of us likes it when our property tax assessment goes up--myself included. It almost always seems to forewarn of a property tax increase for us. But an increase in assessment does not necessarily mean an increase in taxes. In many cases taxes will actually go down. But when you are reassessed, you certainly should question your new assessment if you do not feel it is fair and equitable compared to your neighbor or similar properties. Our Town assessor, Mr. Dave Galarneau, is a trained qualified professional assessor.Some people have questioned whether he has been fair and equitable. This has not gone unnoticed. Evaluating all residential properties is a daunting task that requires more time. This is something the Town Board would like to address this budget year. However, if you have a complaint still take the time to see him.
Each year, if you still feel that your assessment is unfair or inequitable take the time to talk to the Board of Assessment Review (BAR). The BAR is made up of Ticonderoga citizens who will review Mr. Galarneau's assessment and modify it when they believe that this is the fair and equitable thing to do. They certainly do not just rubber-stamp Dave’s assessment as some claim. The BAR reduced or corrected 85 out of 140 grievances. If you still feel your assessment is still unfair and inequitable you can bring your grievance to small claims court.
The sad fact is that even if you believe your assessment is fair compared to comparable properties, it hardly makes it easier to pay larger tax bills. That is the real problem with property taxes. They go up and up and what makes it worse is that property taxes do not take into account a family’s income or ability to pay. Some local families have been forced to sell their homes because of property taxes that they cannot afford.
As your Town Supervisor, I believe that the best hope for property tax reform lies with the state. We at the local level will do everything in our power to curb spending, but the major form of relief must come from the state. There are many proposals that would help, including a “circuit breaker” that would relieve individuals of some of the tax burden if the family income is below a certain level. Senator Little has a bill which will assist older citizens. Further, there is a “brainstorming session” in Glens Falls with state legislators with the intent of removing school tax from property tax. Tax relief is absolutely necessary in relieving senior citizens and those on fixed income from property taxes. These tax solutions require legislative action at the state-level.
Currently, the Town Board is exploring the possibility of asking the state legislators to freeze the “evaluation date”, to allow a three year assessment review. This would allow our assessor more time to evaluate property between assessments and would help assure fair and equitable assessments. This would also give time for state legislators to come up with a state-wide solution to the property tax problem. By freezing that “evaluation date” the Town would remain at 100% for the three years and the residents would receive all the benefits.
I and the Town Board will push for reform, hold down our Town budget, and continue to work to try to assure that we have a fair and equitable assessment in Ticonderoga. Please call me or stop in to see me if you would like to talk about tax reform.