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There is a lot of discussion town-wide about the reassessment and how it is creating a new financial situation for many homeowners.
The village is not a tax assessing authority, which is why our board was not part of the decision of whether to undertake the revaluation. Anyone looking to learn more about the town's process and the data collected by Tyler Technologies, can click here.
While the Village Board did not have any role in the decision to reassess properties, we do now have an opportunity to learn from the unbiased data that was collected.
Ensuring safe housing conditions is very much the responsibility of village government. This Village Board has overseen the restructuring of a new planning and building department.
We recognize that stronger management is needed to take on the challenge of years of ineffective code enforcement. We are reaching out to departments throughout village government to work through solutions to alleviate this growing problem.
Our goal is to first gain access to properties that have been objectively identified as likely overcrowded. We must then be able to follow through with a legal process that enables us to effectively enforce village codes.
It will come as no surprise to members of this community that some landlords exploit every avenue the court system provides to avoid compliance. This behavior by disreputable landlords is perpetuated regardless of the safety risks their negligence or active defiance poses for their tenants, our community, and our first responders.
This Village Board is committed to making the most of taxpayer dollars by encouraging departments to work collaboratively to achieve our core goals of effectively enforcing village codes, expanding communication with the public, and improving efficiency.
Victoria Gearity, Mayor of the Village of Ossining
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