​Westchester Can Remove Property Tax Late Fees

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Westchester County Executive George Latimer said Tuesday he received permission from Gov. Andrew Cuomo to go forward with his plan to remove late fees for county residents and business for the late payment of their property taxes. Cuomo signed Executive Order No. 202.22 to facilitate the plan.

Latimer thanked Cuomo for recognizing the need to help Westchester residents and businesses.

"I am concerned about the financial pressures that the residents of this county are under," he said. "We can, we should — and now, we are — offering them some financial relief by waiving the late payments for the county taxes now due. This is the right thing to do for our constituents.”

To provide assistance to the cities and towns that collect these taxes, the executive order allows for the county executive to accept less than 60 percent of the taxes, along with special ad levies and special assessments, due on May 25 from towns and cities, as long as the municipalities waive residents’ late fees for the late payment of property taxes due July 15.

To have the fee waived, the resident or business must certify economic hardship caused by the new coronavirus. The threshold for the certification requires in part that a resident must have qualified for the STAR exemption, is not paying property taxes through an escrow account and can assert that they have suffered loss of substantial employment income as a result of ongoing crisis.

Peekskill Mayor Andre Rainey offered his thanks to Latimer, as well as other county officials and the governor for taking steps to provide assistance to mitigate the hardships faced by residents all over the state of New York.

"This executive order is a true example of how proactive and thoughtful leaders continue to fight for those we lead, especially in times of need,” he said.

White Plains Mayor Tom Roach said he had been in regular contact with the county on this and appreciates the work of Latimer and his team to reach this resolution.

"Many don't realize that, although we collect the taxes on behalf of the county, they are not city taxes," he said. "Additionally it is important to note that the city must guarantee payment to the county whether the individual taxpayer has made timely payment or not. It was our intent to waive the penalties but needed the legal structure to do so. That has now been provided.”

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