62°
YORKTOWN, N.Y. – Former Yorktown Supervisor Susan Siegel feels current town officials should be taking a more aggressive approach to collecting an estimated $2 million in unpaid taxes from 1995 to 2009.
Siegel, who was ousted from office last year after a two-year term, said the Town Board's referral of 17 grievance applications to the Greenburgh Board of Assessment Review earlier this week was a symptom of a larger problem of the town's "lack of attention" to recouping unpaid taxes.
"While so many taxpayers are struggling to keep current with the taxes, others are getting a free ride at the expense of the rest of us," Siegel said. "It's not fair or equitable."
In addition, Siegel said unpaid taxes directly affect the town's fund balance and its ability to complete capital projects.
Current Supervisor Michael Grace, who unseated Siegel, said Siegel was comparing apples to oranges by lumping the grievance applications with unpaid taxes. He maintained that Yorktown was following all the required regulations in attempting to collect back taxes from property owners.
"You can't stop the taxes from accumulating or put a gun to somebody's head to pay taxes. The only thing you can do is take the property," Grace said. "It isn't so black and white, and there's a lot of ugliness to it. The best you can do is try to work it out with them."
Grace also said his patience was running thin with Siegel's constant criticism of his administration.
"It's just her launching grenades. I inherited this mess," Grace said. "The woman doesn't know anything about what goes on. She's completely misinformed about what happens. I don't know what she is driving at."
Comments (4)
These are the facts.
1. In 2010, my administration inherited the "mess" of over $4 million in unpaid taxes, some dating back to the 1970s. Through the hard work of many Town employees, over $2 million was collected (along with interest and penalties that helped build the fund balance) and steps were taken, during 2010 and 2011, to collect on remaining $2 million from 2009 and earlier. One lesson was learned; if you don't ask, some people don't pay.
2. If anyone had been "minding the store" between Jan-May and followed proper procedures,the Town could have taken title to the 17 parcels and declared them tax exempt BEFORE June 1 and there would have been NO need to file grievance applications. Mr. Grace was apprised of the tax situation in December, before he took office, and was reminded again about the issue in February. He just had to make sure that the paperwork was completed in a timely fashion.
3. As for the "ugliness" of taking people's property, many of the vacant parcels on the 2008 foreclosure list were abandoned by the owners years ago. And one parcel, a private swimming pool, continues to operate, even though it owes $45,763 on back taxes.
susansiegel, Spoken like the true democrat you are. When were you ever a republican, oh wait it happened when you wanted to run for office, didn't it? Typical Yorktown politics, democrats masquerading as republicans and republicans masquerading as democrats. It is enough to make your head swim. There are probably less changes of players b/t teams during the baseball season.
An. It's just Michael Grace, turning an administrative issue into another personality issue. I think this supervisor should just get on with the actual work of being the town supervisor...not the town whiner.
@ Supervisor Michael Grace, "It's just her launching grenades. I inherited this mess," . Please stop sounding like our president. We know you inherited a mess and now you are being harassed by the person that was in part responsible. You have the reigns now and looks like cooperation from most of the town council. Like in the Nike commercial "Just do it" . That is why we elected you.