The Village Board finally cracked and authorized the two-installment tax plan. It is a relief to see these local bureaucrats finally recognize the financial reality forced upon our neighbors. We won this fight because we refused to accept their dismissive excuses.
August 7, 2020
Final supporters
8 May 2020
Dear Scarsdale Village Mayor and Trustees,
We, the undersigned, are Scarsdale Village residents and taxpayers. We respectfully request that you, acting as the Town Board of Scarsdale, immediately pass a Resolution implementing a two equal-installment, penalty and interest-free, payment plan for school property taxes.
Our school property taxes comprise over 60% of our enormous property tax burden. The average homeowner in the Scarsdale Union Free School District pays about $20,000 each year in school property taxes. Currently, the Village/Town, as Receiver of Taxes, bills property owners in the Scarsdale Union Free School District one time for the entire amount of the owner’s annual school property tax liability at the end of August. The school property tax bill is payable in one lump sum on September 1, and if paid during the month of September, no penalty or interest is owed. Late payments, however, incur steep mandatory statutory penalties.
Paying our school taxes in one lump sum during September imposes a substantial cash flow burden on many of our residents, especially during this year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. and world economies have imploded; unemployment has rocketed to over 20% nationwide in just two months from record low levels pre-crisis. Our residents are suffering terribly financially, losing their jobs, savings, and businesses. We need all the help we can get.
The Village Board, acting as the Town Board, is authorized by law, to implement an alternative payment program for our school tax -- one which will provide us with much more financial flexibility and which is far less punitive to our residents. Westchester County Code, Section 283.311, expressly allows the Village Board of Trustees (acting as the Town Board of Trustees) to pass a Resolution authorizing the Receiver of Taxes to accept from taxpayers two partial payments, in equal installments, of the school taxes due. Under the County Code, the Resolution shall prescribe the first equal installment to be paid in September and the second equal installment to be paid in January. Unless the installments are paid within the months that they are due, the taxpayer must pay the mandatory interest and penalties set forth in Westchester County Code, Section 283.221 – i.e., 2% during the month of October; 5% during the month of November; 7% during the months of January and February; and 10% thereafter.
Importantly, most municipalities in Westchester already have implemented this two equal installment school tax payment plan many years ago. 70% of our taxpayers pay our property taxes directly (not via escrow). By paying in two equal installments, we can substantially improve our cash flow – we don’t have to cough up 100% of our annual school tax by September 30 – we can remit the remaining 50% four months later -- with no interest and no penalty. This is an easy decision for the Village Board to make and a big win for Scarsdale residents at virtually no cost to the School District and little cost to the Village. Please, Mr. Mayor and Trustees, acting as the Town Board, simply adopt a Resolution implementing the two-installment school tax plan immediately so that it takes effect this year when we need it desperately. Thank you.
*All words in this petition that are underlined, have a link embedded to the source of the information.
Updates
May 11, 2020
The Village Board is still hiding behind bureaucratic excuses while our families struggle to pay these massive bills in one go. My inbox is full of stories from neighbors who are terrified about their finances because our elected officials refuse to show a shred of common sense or fiscal flexibility.
May 11, 2020
The Village Board is finally feeling the heat because of the overwhelming backing this petition has received. We hit a threshold that proves they can no longer ignore the financial reality facing Scarsdale families by hiding behind their rigid and outdated tax deadlines.
Reached 100 supporters
May 11, 2020
38 Comments
The fact that Scarsdale is the only town that doesn’t offer this option is kind of indicative of many things. I’ve paid the late fee on a number of occasions when I just missed by a day. Seems draconian.
Senior citizens need tax relief in addition to a two-installment payment plan. The STAR exemption is far from enough to make the tax burden palatable, particularly when paying the Scarsdale school taxes exhausts all benefits received from social security and pensions. It is especially onorous Since most seniors have no children in the Scardale schools. If it is the aim of the Town to chase away long time residents - senior citizens in particular- who can no longer afford it— then that aim is being achieved.
these are the largest yearly tax payments by far; being able to pay in two installments would be a monumental help in the current pandemic.
This is an excellent idea. The installment plan billing for school taxes will be a big help with residents' cash flow and tax planning. There's a reason most towns and villages in Westchester County adopted this type of school tax billing a long time ago for their residents - they actually care about their residents.
This seems like a reasonable course of action that should not severely impact the school system's cash flow nor is there much to be gained in a low interest environment from collecting all of the taxes up front. Perhaps there is some additional administrative overhead to send out two bills instead of one but considering the infrastructure is already in place for county, village, school and three water bill mailings every year, I can't imagine the one additional mailing would cost much more that $5K to $10K in materials and labor. Please consider this as many residents are in fact suffering sudden and severe cash flow problems at home. Thank you.
Count me in.
I agree school tax should be paid in two installments. This is a no brainer.
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The Village Board finally cracked and authorized the two-installment tax plan. It is a relief to see these local bureaucrats finally recognize the financial reality forced upon our neighbors. We won this fight because we refused to accept their dismissive excuses.
August 7, 2020
Final supporters
8 May 2020
Dear Scarsdale Village Mayor and Trustees,
We, the undersigned, are Scarsdale Village residents and taxpayers. We respectfully request that you, acting as the Town Board of Scarsdale, immediately pass a Resolution implementing a two equal-installment, penalty and interest-free, payment plan for school property taxes.
Our school property taxes comprise over 60% of our enormous property tax burden. The average homeowner in the Scarsdale Union Free School District pays about $20,000 each year in school property taxes. Currently, the Village/Town, as Receiver of Taxes, bills property owners in the Scarsdale Union Free School District one time for the entire amount of the owner’s annual school property tax liability at the end of August. The school property tax bill is payable in one lump sum on September 1, and if paid during the month of September, no penalty or interest is owed. Late payments, however, incur steep mandatory statutory penalties.
Paying our school taxes in one lump sum during September imposes a substantial cash flow burden on many of our residents, especially during this year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. and world economies have imploded; unemployment has rocketed to over 20% nationwide in just two months from record low levels pre-crisis. Our residents are suffering terribly financially, losing their jobs, savings, and businesses. We need all the help we can get.
The Village Board, acting as the Town Board, is authorized by law, to implement an alternative payment program for our school tax -- one which will provide us with much more financial flexibility and which is far less punitive to our residents. Westchester County Code, Section 283.311, expressly allows the Village Board of Trustees (acting as the Town Board of Trustees) to pass a Resolution authorizing the Receiver of Taxes to accept from taxpayers two partial payments, in equal installments, of the school taxes due. Under the County Code, the Resolution shall prescribe the first equal installment to be paid in September and the second equal installment to be paid in January. Unless the installments are paid within the months that they are due, the taxpayer must pay the mandatory interest and penalties set forth in Westchester County Code, Section 283.221 – i.e., 2% during the month of October; 5% during the month of November; 7% during the months of January and February; and 10% thereafter.
Importantly, most municipalities in Westchester already have implemented this two equal installment school tax payment plan many years ago. 70% of our taxpayers pay our property taxes directly (not via escrow). By paying in two equal installments, we can substantially improve our cash flow – we don’t have to cough up 100% of our annual school tax by September 30 – we can remit the remaining 50% four months later -- with no interest and no penalty. This is an easy decision for the Village Board to make and a big win for Scarsdale residents at virtually no cost to the School District and little cost to the Village. Please, Mr. Mayor and Trustees, acting as the Town Board, simply adopt a Resolution implementing the two-installment school tax plan immediately so that it takes effect this year when we need it desperately. Thank you.
*All words in this petition that are underlined, have a link embedded to the source of the information.
Updates
May 11, 2020
The Village Board is still hiding behind bureaucratic excuses while our families struggle to pay these massive bills in one go. My inbox is full of stories from neighbors who are terrified about their finances because our elected officials refuse to show a shred of common sense or fiscal flexibility.
May 11, 2020
The Village Board is finally feeling the heat because of the overwhelming backing this petition has received. We hit a threshold that proves they can no longer ignore the financial reality facing Scarsdale families by hiding behind their rigid and outdated tax deadlines.
Reached 100 supporters
May 11, 2020
38 Comments
Having been out of work since March 22 it would be very helpful to be able to pay taxes in installments
The fact that Scarsdale is the only town that doesn’t offer this option is kind of indicative of many things. I’ve paid the late fee on a number of occasions when I just missed by a day. Seems draconian.
Senior citizens need tax relief in addition to a two-installment payment plan. The STAR exemption is far from enough to make the tax burden palatable, particularly when paying the Scarsdale school taxes exhausts all benefits received from social security and pensions. It is especially onorous Since most seniors have no children in the Scardale schools. If it is the aim of the Town to chase away long time residents - senior citizens in particular- who can no longer afford it— then that aim is being achieved.
these are the largest yearly tax payments by far; being able to pay in two installments would be a monumental help in the current pandemic.
This is an excellent idea. The installment plan billing for school taxes will be a big help with residents' cash flow and tax planning. There's a reason most towns and villages in Westchester County adopted this type of school tax billing a long time ago for their residents - they actually care about their residents.
This seems like a reasonable course of action that should not severely impact the school system's cash flow nor is there much to be gained in a low interest environment from collecting all of the taxes up front. Perhaps there is some additional administrative overhead to send out two bills instead of one but considering the infrastructure is already in place for county, village, school and three water bill mailings every year, I can't imagine the one additional mailing would cost much more that $5K to $10K in materials and labor. Please consider this as many residents are in fact suffering sudden and severe cash flow problems at home. Thank you.
Count me in.
I agree school tax should be paid in two installments. This is a no brainer.
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Having been out of work since March 22 it would be very helpful to be able to pay taxes in installments