“Spring Valley is considering abolishing its tax assessor’s office in favor of using data collected by the towns of Ramapo and Clarkstown, but its mayor and deputy mayor oppose the move.
Trustees on the contentious village board were split along their usual lines over the proposal, with Trustees Vilair Fonvil, Sherry McGill and Asher Grossman in favor and Mayor Demeza Delhomme and Deputy Mayor Emilia White against.
Fonvil said a public hearing on the proposed law would be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, at Village Hall, 200 North Main St. He said a state representative would be in attendance to explain the pros and cons.
Fonvil said Ramapo and Clarkstown already assess all the property that falls within Spring Valley’s borders.
White opposes giving Ramapo the job now handled by the village’s assessor, including maintaining the village’s assessment and tax rolls, collecting information on properties and estimating market value.
“I don’t know how anybody in their right mind would think of giving the town of Ramapo the job of assessing the village’s property while the town itself is under investigation for fraud,” White said Friday, referring to the federal indictments against Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence and former Deputy Town Attorney Aaron Troodler.
Fonvil countered the federal case and its political fallout didn’t affect the town’s ability to handle the village’s tax assessments.
White said it was crucial that Spring Valley control its tax rolls because the village was in dire need of a reassessment following costly tax challenges and the proliferation of multifamily dwellings.
“We would have to pay for a reassessment but in the long run it would pay for itself, within months,” she said.”
Read the complete Journal News story here.