[Adopted 2-9-2000 by L.L. No. 1-2000]
This article is enacted for the purpose of amending Local Law No. 2 of the Year 1998, enacted pursuant to § 485-b of the Real Property Tax Law, granting a business investment exemption from taxation and special ad valorem levies, except for fire district taxes, and shall be applied in accordance with that statute, as amended from time to time.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BUSINESS INVESTMENT
Construction, alteration, or improvement to commercial, business or industrial real property. This article does not apply to property used primarily for the furnishing of dwelling space or accommodations to either residents or transients other than hotels or motels.
COMMERCIAL
Used primarily for buying, selling, storing or developing goods or services, the manufacture or assembly of goods or the processing of raw materials.
CONSTRUCTION, ALTERATION or IMPROVEMENT
Shall not include ordinary maintenance and repairs.
A. 
Commercial, business or industrial real property constructed, altered, or improved, commencing subsequent to the effective date of this article, shall be exempt from taxation and special ad valorem levies, except for fire district taxes, to the extent provided herein.
B. 
No such exemption shall be granted for construction, alteration or improvements unless:
(1) 
Such construction, alteration or improvement was commenced subsequent to the effective date of this article; and
(2) 
The value of such construction, alteration, or improvement exceeds $10,000; and
(3) 
Such construction, alteration or improvement is completed as may be evidenced by a certificate of occupancy or other appropriate documentation as provided by the owner.
C. 
No such exemption shall be granted concurrent with or subsequent to any other real property tax exemption granted to the same improvements to real property, except where, during the period of such previous exemption, payments in lieu of taxes or other payments were made to the local government in an amount that would have been equal to or greater than the amount of real property taxes that would have been paid on such improvements had such property been granted an exemption pursuant to this section. In such case, an exemption shall be granted for a number of years equal to the ten-year exemption granted pursuant to this section less the number of years the property would have been previously exempt from real property taxes.
A. 
Such real property shall be exempt for a period of one year to the extent of 50% of the increase in assessed value thereof attributable to such construction, alteration, installation or improvement and for an additional period of nine years; provided, however, that the extent of such exemption shall be decreased by five per centum each year during such additional period of nine years, and such exemption shall be computed with respect to the exemption base. The exemption base shall be the increase in assessed value as determined in the initial year of such ten-year period following the filing of an original application, except as provided in Subsection B of this section.
B. 
In any year in which a change in level of assessment of 15% or more is certified for a final assessment roll pursuant to the rules of the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance, the exemption base shall be multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total assessed value of the parcel on such final assessment roll (after accounting for any physical or quantity changes to the parcel since the immediately preceding assessment roll), and the denominator of which shall be the total assessed value of the parcel on the immediately preceding final assessment roll. The result shall be the new exemption base. The exemption shall thereupon be recomputed to take into account the new exemption base, notwithstanding the fact that the Assessor receives the certification of the change in level of assessment after the completion, verification and filing of the final assessment roll. In the event the Assessor does not have custody of the roll when such certification is received, the assessor shall certify the recomputed exemption to the local officers having custody and control of the roll, and such local officers are hereby directed and authorized to enter the recomputed exemption certified by the Assessor on the roll. The Assessor shall give written notice of such recomputed exemption to the property owner, who may, if he or she believes that the exemption was recomputed incorrectly, apply for a correction in the manner provided by Title 3 of Article 5 of the Real Property Tax Law for the correction of clerical errors.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
C. 
The authorized exemption schedule shall be as set forth in § 485-b of the Real Property Tax Law:
Year of Exemption
Percentage of Exemption
1
50
2
45
3
40
4
35
5
30
6
25
7
20
8
15
9
10
10
5
A. 
An exemption shall be granted only upon application by the owner of such real property on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance. Such application shall be filed with the Assessor of the Town on or before the appropriate taxable status date of the Town and within one year of completion of such construction, installation or improvement.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
B. 
If the Assessor is satisfied that the applicant is entitled to an exemption pursuant to this article, the Assessor shall approve the application, and such real property shall thereafter be exempt from taxation and special ad valorem levies, except for fire district taxes, as herein provided, commencing with the assessment roll prepared after the taxable status date referred to in Subsection A of this section. The assessed value of any exemption granted pursuant to this article shall be entered by the Assessor on the assessment roll with the taxable property, with the amount of the exemption shown in a separate column.
This article does not establish a local industrial and commercial incentive board.
In the event that the real property granted an exemption pursuant to this article ceases to be used primarily for eligible activities, the exemption granted pursuant to this article shall cease.