Senator Catherine Young (R-Olean)
ALBANY – Senator Cathy Young, R-Olean, says she will repay more than $4,200 in property taxes and late fees, after it was learned she and her husband improperly received tax credits over an 11-year period.
At issue is a second home she owns in North Greenbush, Rensselaer County that she received STAR Tax credits for. However, she was also receiving STAR Tax credits from her primary residence in Olean and under state law, only the primary residence is eligible for STAR Tax exemption.
The story of Senator Young’s “Double Dipping” first came to light Thursday in an article from the Albany Times Union.In the article, Young was quoted as saying that she was unaware the tax credit was being used until after a recent conversation with her husband, Richard Young, who she says files for their taxes. She also said she planned to repay the money she initially saved through the credits, which amounts to $2,277.18. Combined with late payment penalties and a re-filing fee, the total amount Young owes for the home in Rensselaer County is $4,214.12.
An article in Friday’s Albany Times Union also says that Young never actually applied for the START tax credit for the home in Rensselaer County. Instead, the credit was a carry-over from the previous owner. As a result, Young and her husband never proactively sought the savings, but they also never actively notified town officials that the condo was not the family’s “primary” residence. The tax assessor in Greenbush called it an “Honest Mistake.”
On Friday morning, Senator Young’s office also released the following statement:
Even though it has been an intensely busy time in Albany this week because the state budget process is in full swing, I have worked hard to figure out how this mistake happened. I knew without a doubt that we had not claimed a Basic Star property tax exemption on that property, and wanted to get to the bottom of it.
I truly appreciate that the assessor John Harkin came forward and verified that my husband and I never filed an application for the exemption and the town erroneously applied it to our property. Mr. Harkin’s apology was sincere and he acknowledges that the town made a mistake.
I immediately filed all of the proper legal documents to correct the situation when I learned what happened. Although we did not apply for the exemption, I felt strongly that the money should be reimbursed right away. The exemption came to about $200 per year, and the full amount has been paid with interest.
It is a relief that the town was able to trace what happened, and this error has been cleared up.
There have been many people who have given me warm words of support and encouragement, and I truly appreciate all of their sentiments.
It always is hard when you are under an unfair attack, especially for something you did not do, but I try to not let it be too much of a distraction. The state budget is due to be completed in less than two weeks, and there is a lot of work to get done.”
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