Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara (D-Rotterdam) announced the New York State budget includes language from the “Mohawk Valley and Niagara County Assessment Relief Act” to assist Montgomery County property owners recovering from the devastating effects of last year’s flooding (Part T of A.8555-D).

The measure will allow, at local option, home and business owners – whose properties suffered major damage due to severe weather and flooding that occurred last summer – to apply for a property tax reassessment, if their 2013 assessed value did not reflect such damage.

“We have put in a lot of work to build our community back, and this measure will go another step further by giving property owners in Montgomery County the opportunity for a fair tax assessment,” Assemblyman Santabarbara said.

Specifically, municipalities in Oneida, Herkimer, Cortland, Chemung, Madison, Montgomery, Niagara, Schuyler, Steuben and Tompkins counties will have the option to reassess properties severely damaged or destroyed between June 20, 2013, and August 9, 2013, so the assessments reflect the post-flood values. Refunds would be provided to taxpayers whose property assessments are lowered. The measure also includes a graduated scale of property tax reduction levels based on the amount of damage home and business owners sustained.