Latimer to discuss extending property tax deadline with lawmakers
It is yet to be determined whether the deadline for paying Westchester County property taxes will be extended beyond the current due date at the end of April because of the pandemic, according to Westchester County Executive George Latimer.
Some municipalities,which collect the taxes on behalf of the county already have mailed bills for the county taxes with an April 30 due date.
“It’s important to understand that the deadline that’s established is baked into law. We’d have to change the law in order to do that. Keep in mind that the state and federal government, when they have a deadline to file for your taxes, you’re filing for a prior year and the state and the federal government already have your tax money because they took it from you in withholding.
“So, the state and federal government aren’t affected dramatically by the rolling back of the date. Your town and city government, your village government and your school district and the county are affected when you hold off by some length of time the date of tax collections.”
Latimer said that the county and local taxes on many properties are paid by bank servicing companies that have legal responsibilities to make payments by certain dates.
“I suspect it will take some action. But we have to look at all the different ramifications of it,” Latimer said. “We know that people are having a tough time. I see it every day. I have plenty of friends that I talk to. I served in the private sector before I was in the public sector. I was in one of the industries that is hardest hit by this now so I’m not unaware of all of these things.”
Latimer cautioned that without funding the county won’t be able to provide essential services.
“I will tell you we must have our county health nurses out on the job. We must have our county police out on the job. We must have our county correction officers securing the jail and correctional institutions,” Latimer said. “We cannot shut down those elements of county government that are absolutely essential.”
He indicated he’ll be discussing the tax matter with the county legislature next week.
Latimer said that the death toll from COVID-19 in Westchester has risen to 10. With 7,187 cases identified in Westchester, the death toll represents 0.00139% of the total known positive cases, substantially lower that the death rate of 0.0116% being reported statewide based on 519 deaths out of 44,635 known cases.
The death toll is expected to rise substantially over time since it can take two to three weeks for serious symptoms to develop, leading to several weeks in a hospital. China had reported a mortality rate of 3.1% in the province where Wuhan, the city where the pandemic started, is located.
“If, in fact, we see the peak contagion coming in the next two or three weeks I think what will happen in real time will shake us,” Latimer said. “I know I was shaken by watching stories of what was happening in Italy where the death toll one weekend ago was 1,000 people. That’s in a country that’s one-fifth the size of the United States.”
Latimer said it is imperative for people to adhere to principals of social distancing and again expressed concern at reports that it was being ignored by Westchester residents who have been congregating at the country’s parks.
“If we see things that are inappropriate social distancing, our police force will inform people, give a warning if you will, give an advisory,” Latimer said. “You must maintain social distancing when you go to our parks. If you fail to do that, we will be forced to shut those facilities.”