Taxpayer Stories
Tell us your story or concern. How have rising property taxes affected you? What would you like to see happen? Send your story to info@hvpropertytaxreform.org. Please include your town and county in the message.
The Assessor and I Don't Agree
I live in Oswego and have been working on my property tax issue for 3 years now. My home is 4 years old and has been assessed 3 times. The assessor and I are not in agreement on how she does her job. When I pointed out that she was not following "ORPS Procedures" to assess homes, she and the consultant hired to assist her (Mike Coles) advised me that procedures were “irrelevant.” I have since tried to get someone to say that she is incorrect and that she does have to follow procedures. So far, no luck. I've spoken to the Mayor of Oswego who says the assessor reports to him. The mayor's response? “My hands are tied.” I spoke to NY ORPS; they tell me they write the procedures that assessors “must” follow, but if they don’t NY ORPS “has no jurisdication.” I wrote to Senator Wright who used property tax as a huge platform in his re-election. He simply recycled the paperwork back to our mayor. I have had a complaint filed with the ORPS investigation office for some time and finally…after 2 years, it has gotten to the Honorable Sandra Galef, Assemblywoman. I have no idea where it will go from here, but if this state cannot make the person(s) that are responsible for getting into our pockets responsible and accountable to State Mandated Procedures, we are in for a long fight. The assessor is responsible for how much each taxpayer owes in property tax. And yet - apparently no one who oversees the assessor – at least not in Oswego. The mayor wants no part of it; the state claims "no jurisdiction;" the Office of the Comptroller supposedly has some control – but nothing has been done; procedures are not followed; and friends, co-workers, family members and those connected favorably with the City of Oswego are given lower, more relaxed assessments than others. You try to fight it and get no where. A SCAR hearing lowered my assessment, then the assessor raised it $42,000 the next year – just because she can and no one does a thing. I asked for the comparables used and was given 1 relocation sale, which is clearly stated as an “ineligible” comparable in the ORPS Procedures; 2 colonial homes with 2800+ sq footage (I have a 1700 sq foot ranch); and 1 over-assessed ranch that is behind me. When I asked why they didn’t use the 2800 sq foot ranch across the street from me that was built at the same time, or any one of the other 4 ranches on my street that were all built near the same time as mine and are assessed lower, I got nothing but the “deer in the headlights” look. Waterfront ranch homes built bigger and after my house are assessed lower, but because she is angry with me for pointing out where she is wrong, she raised mine. This year, she lowered everyone around me except me – just to show other taxpayers what will happen if they speak out. No one wants to make waves in Oswego. It’s crazy. My neighbor has a 2800 sq ft ranch on 1 acre fully landscaped with a matching garden shed and is at $230k. His son-in-law is a city fireman, thus the family is given lower assessments. I have 1698 sq ft ranch on 3/4 acre that is only half landscaped and I’m at $225k. My neighbor is 1800 sq ft on 1/2 acre and is $189k. (She lost a SCAR hearing but the assessor lowered her to show me just how much power she had.) Another example is a veteran with a 1700 sq ft house on 1/2 acre which was assessed at $245k. I complained to Senator Wright about screwing over the veterans and those who have fought for this country by cheating them out of tax dollars. The vet's assessment was lowered to $205k. I don’t know what the answer is, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes to try to turn this state around. As long as you have people assessing property in the different municipalities and no one is overseeing them with any kind of authority, they will do what they want, as they want, when they want. It’s not right, it’s not fair, but no one cares.
--Debbie Enwright, Oswego, Oswego County, NY
I Could've Paid for the Better Part of an Ivy League Education
Make no mistake about it, the tide has changed, and the public will no longer tolerate the regressive system in how we fund public schools. Get the Blue Ribbon Commission working on this and get A3005 out of Ways and Means, for a start. I am not alone in being absolutely sick and tired of being held hostage by my school district. Each year means less money to afford basic necessities for my home. Never putting a child through the school system makes it even more irksome. As it stands, I could've paid for the better part of an Ivy League education for a kid with what I've been forced to choke up. I have zero control on my assessed value, zero control (in reality; the votes are a farce) with school budgets that are ever increasing, and little control on my income aside from taking on a second job. I take that back; I DO have a second part time job. Am I supposed to find a third? When I'm forced out of my home in New Paltz, believe me, I won't be moving to another home in NY state. I'm over it. You guys need to do the job of fixing a broken, unfair and Byzantine system. Get to work.
--Russ Clune, New Paltz, Ulster County, NY
Financially, This has Ruined Me
I bought my property in September of 2000. The property is in Highland NY. It has 2 houses with separate deeds. There is my residence and the other home was to be for my mom. Unfortunately, my mom lived there until a year ago when she had a massive stroke. She now lives in my home and my 2 sisters live in my other home so they can help me out. When I bought the home in 2000 my total taxes were approximately $5000 per year. I received my property tax bills yesterday and they alone are $11,000. I cannot live here in Highland anymore. I have to sell my home and find a place I can afford to live in. I think this is a total disgrace because I have no recourse. I am trying to do the right thing and not force my mom to go into a nursing home and because I cannot work due to my mom's illness, I have to move to a different town and probably will not buy. It is cheaper to rent. Both of my homes were assessed at $90,000 in 2000 and one is now assessed at $264,000 and the other is assessed at $190,000. I am so depressed about this and have nowhere to turn. The town does nothing for us. I’m afraid to get my school taxes in June or July. Hopefully, by than I will have sold my home. Financially this has ruined me.
--Eileen Jacobsen, Highland, Ulster County, NY
Someone in Government Must Propose a Real Change
My comments are relative to the school tax portion of the property tax, although the thoughts hold true for the budgets of local government. In my opinion until the expenditure side of the equation is addressed any change in the revenue side is a shell game. Someone in government must propose a real change to the local salary negotiations that award above market (outside the closed school system) compensation packages. At some point teachers must come out of the defined pension plan and assist in funding their own retirements. Health insurance participation rates have to be raised to a realistic level. Take local school board out of the business of negotiating local contracts against the might of a teaching union that clearly has the weight to stop local boards. Regional contracts should be used that award only COLAs not step plus raises that overwhelm districts ability to educate kids. Regional health participation rates would level the playing field so the unions lose the ability to target individual boards. Property tax reform sounds admirable, but unless the spending levels (compensation packages) of local districts and municipalities are decreased it is nothing but a exercise.
-- Mike Sweeney, member local school board, Ulster County, NY
We Need Real Reform - Not the Band-aid Called STAR
[Concerning a local "No" vote on a public school expansion proposal] Make the new administration realize that our schools need the support of the local community. That support is hard to give, especially when you're worried that the [property tax] system itself can take away your home.
This is not a win for anyone; it's just another sign of a broken system. Schools are in conflict with their neighborhoods. We are in need of radical reform. The ever-increasing taxes are far above what taxpayers can afford. The surge of tax exempts and the unfunded mandates forced on schools combine to threaten our communities.
There is no doubt in my mind that if we had a system of school funding based on a taxation system which considered one's ability to pay, we would now be looking forward to an exciting [school] renovation project.
We need real reform in school funding, not the band-aid called STAR.
--Vaughan Smith, High Falls, Ulster County, NY
As More and More People Get Forced From Their Homes
I have been involved in government activism for nearly 2 years now. My concern was spurred by the Town of Queensbury's recent [property] revaluation. Our [home's] assessment tripled last year and our taxes doubled. To address our immediate needs, we filed a lawsuit, that is still pending, against the Town last year. Another short-term solution under consideration is formation of our own Village - with most residents advocating the same concerns. As such, we'd have legal standing in the courts.
There have been many remedies mentioned which range from token gestures to wholesale reform. Let me start out by stating that I am totally against any increase in the STAR program. If I had my way and I hope people will hear me, I would eliminate the STAR program. It is a total joke on a number of fronts. It [merely] shifts the tax burden and, in many cases, permits school districts too much leverage to increase their budgets. What we need is a total commitment to cutting government spending. If we eliminate the STAR program, this makes millions if not billions of dollars available to help pay for the State to assume more of the burden of mandates it imposes.
As more and more people get forced from their homes because they cannot afford to continue paying the taxes, we have to ask how much longer before we can have some relief?
-- Peter Brothers, Queensbury, Warren County, NY
Property Taxes Might Make Me Leave
The property tax that I face each year might make me leave NY State. I am retired, I have saved carefully all my life and now I am faced with enormous property taxes. I want to spend these years giving back to a community that I love through volunteer work, through support of not-for-profits that make our communities vital and enrich the lives of residents. But I can no longer allow any luxuries because I have to pay exhorbitant property taxes. There is no longer a place for people on fixed incomes, on older people and new families just starting to make a "go of it." Living here is a tax burden because we have taken over the state's role in funding education. The state must take over the responsibilty of school funding through other means or you will bankrupt our communities of diversity and of a citizenry of old and young. Please allow people like me to remain in New York State. And do it now!
-- Annie O'Neill
Try Raising 4 Kids on One Income and Pay Those Kind of Taxes
I haven't had time to follow up with you, but I'm still very frustrated with my property tax situation. I just wrote out a check today as a matter of fact for over $6300 for school taxes. My county tax is another $3300. Tax and spend libs... Try raising 4 kids on one income and pay those kind of taxes.
-- Daniel Wright, Owego, Tioga County, NY