Twenty-six percent of local governments have indicated they plan tax cap overrides in 2014, a slightly higher rate than in the past two years, Gannett’s Albany Bureau reports. That translates to about 315 of the 1,200 taxing entities that have reported their intentions to state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office. There are about 3,000 local governments that provide the information to the comptroller, including fire and library districts.
The only community in the Lower Hudson Valley that has reported it intends to override the cap is the town of Haverstraw. Others that plan tax cap overrides are library and fire districts, according to records filed with the state.
This is the third year local governments have lived under a cap on the property tax levy. In the first two years, the limit was 2 percent. Because of the low inflation rate, it is just 1.66 percent for local governments whose fiscal years begin Jan. 1. The rate is 1.7 percent for those whose fiscal years start March 1, and 1.63 percent for those with fiscal years that begin April 1. It hasn’t been set yet for school districts, which have a July 1 start date.
“The lower cap this year is definitely putting even more pressure on local governments to stay under it,” Peter Baynes, executive director of the state Conference of Mayors, told Gannett.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo pushed for the cap as a way to curb the growth in property taxes, which are among the highest in the country in New York.
Rockland officials have said the county budget would exceed the cap, while those in Putnam and Westchester have said they would not.
“This budget shows once again that government – just like the taxpayers who pay the bills must do – can live within its means,” Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino said in releasing his proposed $1.74 billion budget proposal yesterday.
These are the local governments in the Lower Hudson Valley that said they plan tax cap overrides:
Putnam—Kent Fire District 1, Patterson Library
Rockland—Town of Haverstraw, Valley Cottage Free Library
Westchester—Fairview Fire District, Hartsdale Fire District, North Castle No. 2 Fire District, Somers Fire District, Croton Falls Fire District, Eastchester Fire District, North Castle South No. 1 Fire District
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