Clarkstown Settles 3 Tax Challenges, Refunding $58,000

Clarkstown has settled lawsuits with three commercial property owners in town, agreeing to lower the tax assessments on the properties and refund a total of about $58,115.

The Town Board has approved the settlements with Gold Kap LLC for an office building in Valley Cottage, with West Rock Tennis in Bardonia and with C&M 180 Phillips Hill Road LLC for a group of four office buildings in New City.

The New City properties are small office buildings at 180 Phillips Hill Road. The settlement reduces the assessment on the property for 2009-2010 from $641,600 to $395,500. The town is refunding $5,482.47.

The West Rock Tennis case, involving 21 Pralle Lane and 9 Pralle Lane in Bardonia, changes assessments dating back to the 2005-2006 tax year. The town is refunding $7,643.12 for that year, $9,062.10 for the 2006-2007 year, $11,407.48 for the 2007-2008 year and $18,762.73 for the 2008-2009 year. The settlement alters the assessment for one part of the property only, cutting it from $1.8 million to about $1.4 million.

In Valley Cottage, the settlement involving an office building at 140 Route 303 calls for cutting the assessment on the property for the years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 from $945,000 to $810,000. The town is refunding $5,759.37.

The amount of real estate taxes paid on a property is based on the assessment on the property set by the town.