A.9413 (Galef)

STAFF CONTACT :

Director of Government Affairs
518.465.7511

BILL

A.9413 (Galef)

SUBJECT

Real Property Tax Filing Fees

DATE

Oppose

The Business Council of New York State opposes A.9413 as it would contribute to making New York’s real property tax assessment process more unjust.  

This legislation would consent to local assessing unit adopting a local law requiring a complaint be accompanied by a filing fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for residential properties and fifty dollars ($50.00) for commercial properties.  

Real Property Tax is the most unpopular form of taxation in the State. The majority of this dissatisfaction results from the inadequacy of the methodologies and processes used by municipalities to assess property tax. Some have estimate that between 30 and 60 percent of taxable property in the United States is over-assessed. Middle- and lower-income taxpayers are among the most often over-assessed. Typically, fewer than 5 percent of taxpayers challenge their assessments, even though the majority who do so win at least a partial victory when properly prepared. This legislation would place an additional barrier for those seeking relief from on often mercurial assessment calculation.

The amount of the filling fee is immaterial as this provision would solidify the feeling of many, that no matter how right a taxpayer may be, they will still loose. Members of the Assembly should focus their efforts on the development of a more open and standardized assessment process and not advance this legislation.