Editor’s note: The rally with Island homeowners is tonight at 6pm. This weekend, residents will learn about the extension to the deadline to file an exemption to this tax, lasting until September 18th. Apparently, the way it’s being implemented is on the basis where people must prove their ineligibility, which isn’t automatic on the basis of standard proofs of residency that the City might have already on file – such as prior year tax returns for individuals with addresses that match their residence, for example.
BP Fossella, Staten Island Homeowners to Publicly Stand Against Erroneous Pied-a-Terre Tax List
Staten Island, NY – Borough President Vito Fossella was joined by Staten Island homeowners to take a stand against the City’s erroneous, bad faith publishing of a list of the intended recipients of the pied-a-terre tax. This took place at a press conference at the corner of Boundary Avenue and Bedford Avenue on Thursday, July 30th at 9:30 AM.
One of the new taxes levied in the recent City budget is a luxury tax on second homes, otherwise known as a pied-a-terre tax. A preliminary supplemental property tax roll was published and made publicly available for view by the Department of Finance this past Monday night. If an address is on the list, it means that the owner of the address may be subject to this new luxury second home surcharge.
Despite the stated intent of this list, many homeowners, including numerous Staten Islanders and the Borough President, have had their names and personal home addresses published to this list despite not owning any luxury second homes.
At the press conference, the Borough President will issue a public call for the City to correct its mistake in publishing this list, in the interest of the quality of life, privacy and safety of our residents.
Enough is Enough: BP Fossella to Host Rally with Staten Island Homeowners Wronged by the City’s Wrongful Publishing of Alleged Luxury Second Home Tax List
Staten Island, NY – Borough President Vito Fossella will take a stand with many Staten Islanders who were erroneously named on the City’s published second home tax list at a rally at the FDR Boardwalk, Lot 6, off the corner of Seaview Avenue and Father Capodanno Boulevard on Monday, August 3rd at 6:00 PM.
Last week, the City published the names and addresses of almost a million people who, it alleges, may be subject to the new luxury second home property surcharge. Despite the tax being aimed at those with secondary condos worth more than $1 million, and secondary homes worth more than $5 million, the vast majority of those listed do not belong. Not only do those on the list have to endure an arduous process with the Department of Finance to have their names pulled, or to challenge the tax, but having their names tied with their personal primary addresses also poses a safety risk.
For the past week, numerous calls have been made by the Borough President, other public officials and homeowners across the City for the list to be withdrawn entirely and corrections to be made. However, at the time of writing, those calls have gone unanswered.
Now, Borough President Fossella will lead a gathering of many residents Monday night, to stand for the withdrawal of the list and for the City to do right by the thousands of people it has wronged.
BP Fossella Calls for State Intervention to Rectify Luxury Second Home Tax Legislation
BP Fossella penned a letter to Governor Hochul Sunday calling for a resolution to the erroneous “pied-a-terre” tax rollout.
Staten Island, NY — In a letter written to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, Borough President Vito Fossella is requesting a Special Session of the New York State Legislature to resolve widespread concern and confusion regarding the rollout of the luxury second home tax in NYC.
The letter comes on the heels of the City’s release of a list of nearly a million names and addresses it alleges may qualify for the new luxury second home tax, which was approved by the State and City in May and went into effect last month. The tax legislation identifies non-primary residences valued at more than $1 million for condominiums and more than $5 million for homes as subject to the charge.
Contrary to the intended target of the tax – and the City’s framing that the tax applies to the wealthy – the vast majority of the hundreds of thousands listed are primary addresses, or properties that do not meet the threshold. As such, many homeowners – including judges, law enforcement, et cetera – have had their names and personal addresses included and tied to this list in error.
Property owners now have until September 18th to prove to the Department of Finance that the listed property is their primary home address – a potentially arduous process that may involve a significant amount of paperwork and professional services.
As of writing, the City has yet to withdraw the list for correction, as requested by the Borough President and many Staten Island homeowners who were wrongfully featured on the list. In addition, many homeowners continue to seek clarity on whether the tax applies to them, and the reason as to why they are featured on what appears to be an “enemies list”.
The lack of communication and a suitable resolution from the City has led the Borough President to seek intervention from the State, to ease the financial and safety concerns of the hundreds of thousands who were wrongfully named.
“If the City does not change course, then the solution to these problems should lay with the legislature that created the problems, not with the individual taxpayers who have been unfairly tasked with the responsibility to interpret this impenetrable, non-transparent legislation” Borough President Fossella said.
Banner Image: Luxury home. Image Credit – Laurel and Michael Evans
About The Author
The Office of the Borough President has a responsibility to advocate for the entire Borough of Staten Island and all its residents, and represents the Borough's interests within City government.
The Borough President communicates directly with the Mayor and the City Council to emphasize Staten Island’s budget priorities.
In addition, the Borough President is responsible for reviewing major land use decisions and proposing sites for city facilities within the Borough.
As the chair of the Borough Board, the Borough President leads Staten Island’s City Council delegation and Community Board chairs in the process of reviewing and approving the transfer of public properties to private use. The Borough President’s Office houses the Borough's Topographical Bureau, which maintains the borough’s official maps and assigns street addresses.
The Borough President monitors the delivery of city services on Staten Island, and acts as a liaison between residents and city agencies when problems arise to devise solutions. The Borough President is also responsible for appointing one member to the Panel for Educational Policy and one member to the City Planning Commission, as well as some 150 members to Staten Island’s three community boards.
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