Hawley will sponsor legislation to reduce taxes for homeowners who lost land to lake

Photo by Tom Rivers: The waves have taken chunks of land along the shoreline, including this spot on Ed Shores Road owned by John Procopio. He has lived by the lake on Ed Rose Shores for 32 years. On May 7, when this photo was taken, Procopio said he expects to lose about a foot a year to the lake, but had already lost about 10 feet in early May.

Posted 23 May 2017 at 3:39 pm

Proposal would have state cover lost revenue to local governments

Press Release, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley

In response to the massive property damage caused by flooding across the Lake Ontario shoreline, Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) will be sponsoring legislation in the Assembly that will allow municipalities to reevaluate and reduce a resident’s tax burden if property was damaged due to erosion and/or flooding.

Included in the bill are provisions to help local governments recoup lost property tax revenue by subsidizing them with state funds.

“It has been commonplace that many areas of the shoreline have completely eroded many feet inland, swallowing entire homes and businesses,” Hawley said. “As tragic as this is, it is important that these residents’ tax liabilities reflect what they have left and that the state step up to provide the difference to our local governments. I will fervently push this legislation in the Assembly and I am hopeful that it can be passed by the end of session in late June.”

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