By Carol P. Bartold, Senior Reporter

Dec. 13, 2017: In anticipation of provisions of the tax reform bill that passed the United States House of Representatives in November and the Senate in December, many village property owners have expressed a desire to prepay their 2018-2019 property taxes.

At the Bronxville Board of Trustees meeting on December 11, Village Administrator Jim Palmer stated that, while the village is accepting payment for the second half of the 2017-2018 village tax, it is not able to accept 2018-2019 prepayments. “There seems to be a lot of confusion because there are many different taxing entities within Westchester County,” he noted. “Towns, cities, villages all have different cycles.”

Palmer explained that Bronxville operates as a village whose fiscal year begins June 1 and runs through May 31. Within that cycle, the warrant, or authorization issued to the tax receiver to collect tax payments, is traditionally issued in conjunction with the issuance of a tax roll, which identifies property owners, their addresses, and taxes due. That warrant issuance falls on or about May 31 for the next fiscal year. The village mails tax bills on June 1, the first day of the fiscal year.

“We don’t know what our tax levy is going to be until we finish our budget,” said trustee Guy Longobardo. He added that the tax bills are issued only when the budget is approved. “So until we issue a tax bill, there is no amount due. Therefore, there is nothing to prepay at this point.”

Mayor Mary Marvin pointed out that New York State laws are quite specific in stipulating how villages must operate. “All New York State villages operate the same way. We are not doing anything different,” she stated.

Palmer pointed out that a slightly more complicating factor of Bronxville’s tax bill is the inclusion of the school tax levy. “We need the school levy since it appears on the tax bill,” he said. The Bronxville Free Union School District typically adopts its budget in March, but village residents don't vote to approve the school budget until mid-May.

The village will be accepting payment for the second half of the 2017-2018 village tax through January 2, 2018. Village offices will be open every day except Christmas Day through the end of the year.

Pictured here (L to R):  Mayor Mary Marvin, Deputy Mayor Robert Underhill, trustee Guy Longobardo, and Village Administrator James Palmer.

Photo by Carol P. Bartold