Scarsdale 10583

The following letter from the Edgemont Community Council was submitted to the Greenburgh Town Board at its meeting on 10/12: To the Town Board of Greenburgh, The Edgemont Community Council met on October 3, 2011 and voted to ask the town to do a revaluation of taxable properties within the Town immediately.

The Town of Greenburgh and the many taxing entities within it (school and fire districts, among others) need stability in their budgeting and taxing processes, and the continuing number of tax certioraris and grievances make that impossible. We are collectively paying more than $10 million a year in tax refunds, the Town this year is borrowing money to cover these costs for the first time in its entire history, and the State Legislature says tax cert payments are not excluded from the state-mandated property tax cap, which means the money spent on tax certs may result in less money available to educate our children.

Not to mention that it has been 56 years since there has been any revaluation of taxable properties in Greenburgh.

It is way past time for a revaluation.

We also believe that waiting for the county to act, or for special legislation from the State Legislature to enact "hardship provisions" for Greenburgh residents is political gamesmanship. No county action or state-enacted hardship provisions were needed for those towns and villages in Westchester that have already approved revaluation, including the City of Rye, and the Villages of Bronxville and Pelham Manor.

Common sense says that it is time for revaluation.

We know that voting for revaluation will require an act of political courage from the members of the Town Board – as voters and taxpayers, we have the right to expect such courage from our elected officials.

Sincerely,

Geoff Loftus
PresidentThe Edgemont Community Council