Contacts: Jane Lerner, Office of the County Executive (845) 638-5645

Laura Incalcaterra, Rockland County Legislature (845) 638-5184

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Legislators & County Executive Take Action To Allow 2018 Property Tax Bills To Be Paid Now

Property Owners Can Pay Prior To New Federal Tax Rules Capping Deductions At $10,000

Those Wishing To Pay Early Must Do So No Later Than Dec. 31

New City, NY (Dec. 27, 2017) – Rockland County Legislators and County Executive Ed Day took action today that will allow 2018 property tax bills to be paid early in the face of new federal tax rules that could have a tough impact locally.

Rockland County Legislators voted 13-0 today to approve the tax warrants necessary for Clarks town, Haverstraw, Orangetown, Ramapo and Stony Point to accept early payments of some 2018 taxes.

The approved resolutions were forwarded to County Executive Ed Day and immediately signed. Legislature Chairman Toney L. Earl and the Clerk to the Legislature then signed the actual warrants, which are now being hand-delivered by the county Sheriff's Office and will allow the towns to accept the tax payments.

"It's totally understandable that local property owners want to take advantage of any tax savings possible," Earl said. "It's unfortunate that the biggest tax bill most of us pay, which is for school taxes, isn't included because it goes out much later in the year. But I hope this effort will help ease some of the financial pain that these new federal rules are sure to inflict on Rockland County."

Day said the decisive action taken today could significantly affect taxpayers in the new year.

"We were glad that both branches of County government were able to work together to get this information to the towns as soon as possible," Day said. "Because of this quick action Rockland County is once again ahead of the curve in meeting the needs of taxpayers by providing a way for towns to accept early tax payments."

Some property owners are interested in pre-paying part or all of their 2018 county, town, village and some special district taxes before the end of 2017, when new federal tax rules take effect.

Under the new rules, state, county and local tax deductions, including property taxes, will be capped at $10,000; currently, there is no limit. Some property owners want to pay their 2018 taxes by Dec. 31 in hopes of being able to write them off on their 2017 tax returns.

Property owners should contact their local town Assessors and Receivers of Taxes for more information, including acceptable payment methods and office hours. Property owners who pay their taxes through an escrow account should contact their lenders.