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SOMERS, NY — Westchester County officials estimate that Town of Somers property tax levy portion will decrease for 2020. The town's portion is $13,044,150, down 0.65 percent, according to the county.
County Executive George Latimer said the county committed to freezing property taxes, but was able to go a little further and actually reduce the county's property tax levy by $1 million.
"This cut impacts each community differently," he said. "I’m pleased the people of the Somers were able to see a reduction in their county property tax bill of nearly 1 percent."
Latimer said the budget was about giving the people who live in the county some property tax relief while still providing services and programs on which taxpayers rely.
According to a spokesman, this is the first time in almost a decade that a county executive has proposed and implemented a budget that reduces the county property tax levy.
Focused on taking the burden off Westchester County property taxpayers and combating the loss of the federal SALT deduction, Latimer called for the passage of the Westchester County Property Taxpayer Protection Act which is slated to bring in an estimated $140 million dollars annually. Of the $140 million, 30 percent of new revenue is being shared back to local governments and school districts to assist their budgets and tax relief efforts. The 30 percent amounts to more than $40 million helping to provide additional property tax relief.
Along with, cutting county’s property tax levy by $1 million dollars, the county was able to put money into the reserve fund, end the reliance on one-shot revenues, end borrowing for operating costs and most significantly create sales tax parity across all of Westchester’s communities, bringing the rate in line with other counties including Rockland and Putnam, and other cities including White Plains, Mount Vernon and New Rochelle. The new countywide standard rate of 8-3/8 percent is still lower than that in effect in Yonkers, New York City and Nassau and Suffolk counties.
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