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February 10, 2012

Village trustees want option to exceed property tax cap

BY JIM AUSTIN

THE COOPERSTOWN CRIER

Budget time is approaching for the village and trustees want to prepare by making sure they’ll be able, if necessary, to exceed the state-imposed two percent property tax cap designed to slow the growth of property taxes.

According to the New York State Comptroller’s Office, the  growth in the property tax levy,the total amount to be raised through property taxes, will be capped at two percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less, with some exceptions. Local communities have the ability to override the cap.

During the board’s meeting in late January, trustees voted to schedule a public hearing on a local law that would allow them to exceed the limit.

Trustee Lynne Mebust said she was “rather outraged” the state would put limitations on tax levy increases.

“It should be up to the local boards,” she said. Trustee Walter Franck agreed, but expressed concerns about how the public might view an override.

“I don’t want it perceived as a strategy to exceed the limit,” he said.

He was joined by Trustee Ellen Tillapaugh, who raised a similar concern. “I don’t want to be perceived as doing this to raise taxes,” she said.

“People are going to interpret it the way they want,” Franck said.

After the meeting, Mebust explained that in the last two years, the trustees have had little input into the budget, which is prepared by the mayor, until the last minute.

With no idea what’s in the budget, the board should keep its options open, she said, reiterating her earlier comment that she believes it is “heavy-handed” of the state to impose a tax cap. “They shouldn’t be telling us what is appropriate,” she said. To adopt a local law to override the cap the board must hold public hearing, according to Village Attorney Martin Tillapaugh, who is preparing the documents.

According to the comptroller’s website, for local governments the law does not specify particular language for the resolution, but it should be clear that it is for the purpose of overriding the tax levy limit for the coming fiscal year only.

The hearing is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 27. It will begin at 7 p.m. or as soon thereafter as possible.

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