Orleans County continues to be among the highest taxed counties in New York, with Medina leading the way with a combined tax rate of more than triple that of some other Finger Lakes-region counties.
Western New York and the Finger Lakes region, which includes Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, remain the top two taxed regions in the state, according to a new report by Empire Center for Policy, a non-profit think-tank based in Albany.
Empire Center annually does a tax comparison. The Center released its figures for the 2013 year on Tuesday. The rates are local, county and school tax rates.
The Finger Lakes region has a median tax rate of $34.36 per $1,000 of assessed property, meaning a person with a house valued at $80,000 pays an average of $2,748 a year in taxes.
That compares to the lowest taxed region, Long Island, which has a median rate of $28.21.
The median for all New York is $30.60.
No counties in Orleans fell below the state median and just one in Genesee did: Pembroke with a combined rate of $29.76. Wyoming had seven municipalities falling below that benchmark.
Medina has the highest rate for all the Finger Lakes region with a combined rate of $57.27, according to Empire Center. Murray is third, with a rate of $54.11.
Orleans has six municipalities in the top 20 highest taxed municipalities in the region. Genesee has one: Le Roy with a combined rate of $45.90.
Among the 20 lowest in the Finger Lakes, Wyoming County is the only local county that fell into that group. Eagle’s tax rate of $21.62 for those living in the Yorkshire-Pioneer School District, is the 8th lowest. Those in the Letchworth district pay $23.13, the 17th lowest.
Ontario was the lowest in the Finger Lakes with a combined rate of $17.19.
Overall, the lowest-taxed municipality was Sagaponack in Long Island, with a rate of $4.57 per $1,000.
The highest in New York?
That would be the village of Sloan in Erie County with a rate of $64.67, followed closely by Wellsville in Allegany County with a rate of $64.62.
The Empire Center’s research shows the vast disparity among municipalities and how much residents pay in taxes, even in the same county.
“There’s no question that New Yorkers pay some of the highest property taxes in the country, but the burden can vary widely even among neighboring jurisdictions,” said Tim Hoefer, executive director of Empire Center. “By making it easier to compare taxes in different localities, we hope to encourage local taxpayers and elected officials to search for ways of reducing taxes and spending.”
(To see the complete report, go to empirecenter.org).
© 2015 The Daily News
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