Board of Estimate & Contract:
RESOLVED, that an ordinance adopted by the City Council on September 10, 2025, and signed by the Mayor on September 11, 2025, the Refund of Taxes Paid on an Incorrectly Assessed Property Pursuant to RPTL Section 550 - (funding for this refund shall be disbursed from Budget Line A1964.492 (Tax Cert Refunds); be, and the same is hereby approved.
City Council:
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE REFUND
OF TAXES PAID ON AN INCORRECTLY ASSESSED
PROPERTY PURSUANT TO RPTL SECTION 550
Whereas, in correspondence dated September 9, 2025, the Commissioner of the Department of Assessment has formally requested authorization for the Comptroller of the City of Mount Vernon to issue refunds for overpaid taxes on the subject property for the 2024 and 2025 tax years; and
Whereas, pursuant to the Real Property Tax Law (RPTL) Section 550, the City of Mount Vernon recognizes that an error in an essential fact occurred in the assessment of a certain property, which was incorrectly assessed with improvements although the property was vacant; and
Whereas, such error resulted in an incorrect assessed valuation of $3,600, rather than the correct assessed valuation of $1,300, for the tax years 2024 and 2025; and
Whereas, the property owner, relying upon the Comptroller’s Office and Infotaxonline, paid in full the 2024 and 2025 City and County tax bills, as well as the 2024 Mount Vernon School District taxes and the first installment of the 2025 School District taxes; and
Whereas, the application for correction of the error (Form RP-556) was duly submitted and approved by the Executive Director of Westchester County, thereby validating the entitlement of the property owner to a refund of overpaid taxes; and
Whereas, the City of Mount Vernon is responsible for refunding the excess City and County tax levies, and the Mount Vernon School District is responsible for refunding the excess School District tax levies, based on the corrected assessed valuation of $1,300; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved That
The City of Mount Vernon, in City Council convened, does hereby ordain and enact:
Section 1. Authorization of Refunds – City of Mount Vernon and County of Westchester. The Comptroller of the City of Mount Vernon is hereby authorized and directed to issue refunds for overpaid taxes on the subject property for the 2024 and 2025 tax years, as follows:
- 2024 City Tax Levy: $1,152.90
- 2025 County Tax Levy: $441.66
- 2025 City Tax Levy: $1,194.40
- 2025 County Tax Levy: $400.16
Section 2. Authorization of Refunds – Mount Vernon School District. The Mount Vernon School District is hereby authorized and directed to issue refunds for overpaid school tax levies on the subject property for the 2024 and 2025 tax years, as follows:
- 2024 School Tax Levy: $2,200.41
- 2025 School Tax Levy: $2,278.41
Section 3. Verification Procedures. The Assessor’s Office and the Comptroller’s Office shall implement and maintain additional verification procedures to prevent the recurrence of errors in assessment related to vacant property and improvements.
Section 4. Funding. Funding for this refund shall be disbursed from Budget Line A1964.492 (Tax Cert Refunds).
Section 5. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon adoption by the City Council and approval by the Board of Estimate & Contract.