State Denies Scriba’s Equalization Rate Challenge

by Contributor | August 24, 2017 11:25 am

SCRIBA – The State Board of Real Property Tax Services voted Wednesday (August 23) to adopt its staff’s recommendation to set the 2017 equalization rate for the town of Scriba at 86.2%.

Since 2002, the town of Scriba has maintained a 100% equalization rate.

The state board’s decision will effectively result in an increase in taxes to be paid by Scriba residents, town officials announced.

The town of Scriba filed a complaint with the NYS Office of Real Property Tax Services after ORPTS set the town’s tentative rate at 86.2%.

The equalization rate is the state’s measure of a municipality’s level of assessment.

A rate of 100% means the state believes the municipality is assessing properties at market value.

An equalization rate higher than 100% means the assessments are higher than market rate, while a rate below 100% means the municipality is under valuing properties.

According to the state board, the town of Scriba is valuing property at 86.2% of market value.

“We fundamentally disagree with the state board,” declared Town Attorney Kevin Caraccioli, who argued the complaint before the State Board of Real Property Tax Services in Albany on Wednesday. “Based on the ORPTS analysis, property values in Scriba swung from being overvalued in 2016 at 113% to being undervalued in 2017 at 86%; it just doesn’t make any sense.”

The town of Scriba cut taxes by 46% in 2012 after successfully negotiating a tax agreement involving the Nine Mile Point nuclear power plants.

Now, those same taxpayers will see a spike in taxes next year as a result of the state’s ruling.

“I don’t like it one bit,” said Town Supervisor Ken Burdick. “We do our best to manage property values, especially with these power plants in our town. Shifting the tax burden for county and school taxes on the backs of Scriba residents will create hardships.”

Based on estimates, the owner of a property in Scriba valued at $100,000 will see an increase in their school taxes in October by as much as $300 over last year’s amount.

The actual amounts won’t be known until the tax bills are sent out late next month.

The town of Scriba is conducting a full revaluation of all properties later this year.

It is anticipated that the equalization rate will return to 100% for 2018.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/oswego/state-denies-scribas-equalization-rate-challenge/

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