State Senate Enacts Legislation to Reimburse Counties Impacted by Indians Refusal to Pay Property Taxes

Senator Mike Nozzolio today announced that the New York State Senate has enacted legislation that he sponsored to end the destruction of the property tax base in Cayuga and Seneca Counties resulting from the refusal of individuals to pay their property taxes based on their claims of individual Indian sovereignty. To date, the Cayugas' have refused to pay almost $1.5 million in property taxes owed to Cayuga and Seneca Counties.

“Each and every year our local, hardworking taxpayers are forced to shoulder an increasingly unfair and costly burden because the Cayuga Indians refuse to pay their lawfully administered and rightfully owed property taxes. The adoption of this legislation by the New York State Senate is the next step in my aggressive efforts to protect the taxpayers of Cayuga and Seneca Counties,” said Senator Mike Nozzolio.

This legislation, S.5209, would require New York State to reimburse local counties for unpaid school and property taxes on property that is owned by individual Indians, that has not been designated 'reservation land' by the federal government. As a result, Cayuga and Seneca Counties would receive ongoing financial assistance to offset unpaid property taxes currently owed to the counties, towns and school districts, thereby helping to reduce the tax burden on local taxpayers.

“As State Senator, I believe that we must do everything possible to ensure the fair and equitable collection of these unpaid property taxes and I will continue my aggressive efforts to eliminate this unfair burden on the hardworking taxpayers of Cayuga and Seneca Counties. That is why I will continue fighting to enact measures that protect our local taxpayers from the Cayugas’ refusal to pay their property taxes, and why I am hopeful that the State Assembly will work to approve this important measure without delay,” said Senator Mike Nozzolio.

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