ROTTERDAM Tax refunds for eight with town-city lots Mistakes led to 3-year overpayments BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Justin Mason at 395-3113 or jmason@dailygazette.net
Schenectady County and Rotterdam will give back a portion of property taxes to eight landowners with parcels straddling the town and city border. The town and county have agreed to refund about $30,000 in taxes paid between 2007 and 2009. Members of Mohonasen’s Board of Education still need to decide whether to give back about $15,700 in school tax overpayments made during the same period, but district officials are confident they’ll follow suit. Town Attorney Michael Godlewski said the error occurred when a number of border properties were assessed at full value in Rotterdam, when portions of the parcels also stretched into Schenectady. Property owners with parcels split between Schenectady and Rotterdam pay a portion of taxes to each municipality. While these property owners continued to pay fractional Schenectady taxes, their tax bills in Rotterdam reflected the full value of their land and any improvements. Godlewski said the error was brought to Supervisor Frank Del Gallo’s attention in February, and he vowed to make a correction. “He wanted to make sure they got money back,” Godlewski said. But an advisory opinion from the state Office of Real Property Services was initially interpreted by the town as suggesting the overpayment couldn’t be refunded. County Attorney Chris Gardner later determined that a correction was in order. “He’s confidant that we are within our legal boundaries to do this,” Godlewski said. The error was apparently made by GAR Associates, which completed a full revaluation of Rotterdam in 2007. The town expects to return the money this summer. Meanwhile, Godlewski and fellow Town Attorney Town Attorney Joseph Liccardi have become the lawyers of record in the town’s lawsuit against GAR over alleged errors in the revaluation. Rotterdam was previously represented by Paul Goldman, a private attorney selected by the all Republican Town Board when the lawsuit was filed last year. The legal action was spurred following a $30,000 study in 2008 reviewing GAR’s work. Godlewski said he and Liccardi are still reviewing the lawsuit before deciding whether to advise the Town Board to proceed. “We’re having outside people look at it,” he said Wednesday. “We want to make sure we have all our facts before we make a final recommendation to the town.”
“We’re having outside people look at it,” he said Wednesday. “We want to make sure we have all our facts before we make a final recommendation to the town.”
Isn't this what Parisi was criticized for?!?!!? "Outside people!!!"
The previous administration and surprise should get the kudos for this victory.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
The previous administration and surprise should get the kudos for this victory.
Kudos for what? Stringing these people along for three years to justify some bogus lawsuit? C'mon for crying out loud the County wouldn't help these people even when the pervious assessor brought it to light. This is no victory. The DEMS throwing out the corrupt former administration....now thats VICTORY!
I don't know the particulars but one of the "borderline" friends told me he brought it to previous assossor's attention and the previous assessor was stymied by the county. The Co Dir Of Real Property was paranoid by macejka taking his job. So I am told. Had macejka been appointed by the county in 2008 this problem would have been fixed long ago.
Interesting enuff Why didn't surprise just lower the assessments in 2008? He lowered a bushel full of others. We all know Gerard and Tomassone were running the assessor's office so maybe they needed justification for the GAR lawsuit? Perhaps? Nah they aren't that devious are they? Use the taxpayers money for political gain? Hmmmmmm no wonder they wanted Surprise in. He sold his soul to dance with the devil.
I don't understand what at all this has to do with Gerard or Tommasone. This issue seems pretty cut and dry. So apparently, according to your account, John Macejka tried to fix the problem for these people but the Democratic leadership at the county stopped him. Now that the same democratic leadership is at the county, all of a sudden something has changed?
Who said anything about County Democrats??? Nick Barber is a Republican turned independent who has yet to be reappointed and is/still paranoid over being dumped, (who I might add worked his arse off for Joe Lazzari.) His office refused to work with both Surprise and Macejka. Ask Surprise if you don't trust and verify what I heard. Check it out TBV, you might be surprised by your due diligence. This would have been all "fixed" had the DEMS at the county made the changes in the County Office of Real Property like they SAID they were! Instead they put lumpy in a "cushy" job! PRIORTIES ugh!
I certainly hope that this administration holds GAR responsible for these errors. They should be held accountable and pay for all legal expenses.
I'm gonna have to look back, but wasn't it in the city where someone was overcharged on their taxes and they were told that they could not be reimbursed for it? I really am not sure here.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
I know of one case in the city where the gentleman's home was over assessed by $24,000 and had to take his case to small claims court where the judge appointed an assessor to go and asses the house in question. The judge found in favor of the homeowner and sent the city the new fair assessment and the city assessor wasn't very happy about the resolution of the case. The homeowner didn't get a refund but will have his taxes lowered next year at tax time.
I know of one case in the city where the gentleman's home was over assessed by $24,000 and had to take his case to small claims court where the judge appointed an assessor to go and asses the house in question. The judge found in favor of the homeowner and sent the city the new fair assessment and the city assessor wasn't very happy about the resolution of the case. The homeowner didn't get a refund but will have his taxes lowered next year at tax time.
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