Majority members of the Nassau County Legislature have submitted an emergency resolution to provide county residents and businesses with a one-month extension to pay property taxes without interest or penalties.
The current deadline for paying taxes is May 11. Residents and businesses who pay their property taxes after that date are subject to additional interest and penalties.
The tentative measure would extend the deadline to pay property taxes until June 11 before becoming subject to penalties and growing interest.
Presiding Officer Rich Nicolello (R-New Hyde Park) said the majority legislators drafted this measure to provide an additional layer of relief for the thousands of Nassau County residents who may have lost their jobs or whose businesses are effectively closed for the time being.
“Officials at every level of government should be looking for ways to ease crushing financial burdens on residents and businesses as they struggle to deal with the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak,” Nicolello said. “With thousands of residents out of work and many businesses shuttered or having their operations drastically reduced, this extension will provide additional time to pay their property taxes without being hit with interest and penalties.”
According to a release sent out by Nicolello’s office, members of the majority met with Town of Hempstead Supervisor Donald Clavin and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino to ask Gov. Andrew Cuomo for a 30-day extension for residents to pay school taxes. Nicolello said that Cuomo has yet to respond to that request.
Nicolello said the legislators will look to publicize any developments from the tentative measure via social media and online interactions.
“At the end of the day, we’re doing this to provide a layer of relief for our residents and businesses that have been negatively impacted by this,” Nicolello said. “People are very attuned to their property taxes and when they must be paid, but we will get the message out in any format we can.”
Legislators will seek an emergency vote on the measure on Monday, according to the release. The emergency measure would require thirteen votes to pass.
If passed, Nassau County would be the first entity throughout New York to enact an extension on property taxes, according to a representative from Nicolello’s office.
