Dozens of south Queens residents and business owners braved single-digit temperatures on Monday night in the hopes of getting some answers to their property-tax questions at a Town Hall in Broad Channel.
Convened by City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) and hosted by the Broad Channel Civic Association and VFW Post 260, the workshop featured representatives from of the Tax Commission and city Department of Finance, who sat down individually with property owners to detail the process and address their personal concerns.
“Understanding your property taxes is never an easy task—especially when it can involve different city agencies and confusing paperwork,” Ulrich said. “This event afforded individuals the opportunity to further discuss their specific property tax issues with the Tax Commission and appeal if necessary. I’d like to thank the Broad Channel Civic Association and VFW Post 260 for accommodating and making this a successful event.”
Additionally, caseworkers from the Build it Back program assisted with claims and other disaster-recovery related issues during the event, which also saw Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Ozone Park) stop in to lend a hand.
Ulrich said the Town Hall was necessary because of local property tax concerns stemming from Superstorm Sandy. After the storm, Finance reduced residential property values in damaged neighborhoods, and as a result, most households saw their property taxes drastically reduced. Last year, the same properties were reassessed after being repaired or rebuilt, and those values rose significantly—increasing taxes and confusing many area residents.
By Michael V. Cusenza
