Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says local governments can save “millions” by consolidating tax assessment services at the local level.

In the report, DiNapoli’s office found as much as $12.5 million could be saved if local governments refine their assessment services and combine duties between municipalities.

“New York has one of the most complex property tax systems in the nation, but it doesn’t have to,” DiNapoli said. “New York has the highest taxes in the nation, and we have the most assessors in the nation as well. This is an area ripe for sharing. There’s no need for properties to be assessed over and over again by every level of local government. Towns, villages and counties should eliminate duplication and improve the quality of assessments to cut costs and save taxpayer dollars.”

The report encourages local governments to reassess properties offer in order to reduce the number of costly assessment challenges.

Consolidation and shared services is a hot topic for county, town and city governments in New York trying to cut down on local taxes as revenue continues to decline.

Here’s the report:
Snapshot

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