Relates to requiring certain disclosures by attorneys performing services in connection with a real property tax grievance procedure

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic1

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Leroy Comrie says this is needed

The current grievance process for property tax assessments, meant to rectify assessment inequities, has inadvertently exacerbated dispari- ties. Wealthier neighborhoods, appealing assessments more frequently, often receive significant reductions, while poorer areas face overvalu- ation with lower appeal rates. Consequently, assessment reductions, primarily benefiting affluent homeowners, shift tax burdens onto other property owners, exacerbating socioeconomic divides. A 2017 investigation by Newsday in Nassau County revealed a significant tax shift of $1.7 billion from affluent challengers to less wealthy residents. Moreover, a cottage industry of specialists and attorneys has emerged, capitalizing on homeowners' misconceptions about the process's complexity, charging exorbitant fees without ensuring equitable relief. This bill seeks to empower homeowners by mandating specialists and attorneys to disclose that homeowners can independently file grievances with municipal assistance, fostering transparency, curbing predatory practices, and enabling informed decision-making in tax assessments.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.