Property Taxes Due May 31

May 31 is Tax Day in Suffolk with property owners expected to pay a semi-annual installment for 2023. Many pay their levies directly through their mortgages or can pay online or in person at their town’s receiver of taxes office.

The amount paid in local property taxes is enormous with Brookhaven Town, for example, taking in $1.8 billion to be distributed to any number of taxing jurisdictions, according to Tax Receiver Louis Marcoccia. “I don’t raise them, I just collect them,” is the oft-repeated phrase through the years by these elected office holders.

School and library taxes make up about 67 percent of the average tax bill, the lion’s share. Next up is the Suffolk police at 12.8% of the average tax load. If you live in Brookhaven, the town’s share of your taxes is about seven percent with the money split with the highway department, street lighting, garbage collection, and other funds. Suffolk’s other towns, which also have elected tax receivers, breakdown about the same way. Taxes will also be collected for:

• Metropolitan Transportation Authority

• Open Space Preservation

• Fire Districts

• Suffolk Community College and out-of-county tuition

Tax bills also include money to cover reimbursements to those who successfully grieved their taxes and are due refunds, Marcoccia explained.

Most towns allow for online payments using a checking account routing and account number. Taxes can also be paid via credit card, but a fee is added, which is 2.5% in Brookhaven. Check your individual town tax receiver’s website for further details. More than 60 percent of Brookhaven property owners pay online which carries a nominal $1.75 fee allowing Brookhaven to reduce its staff considerably over the years.

Residents can receive breaks in their taxes through the New York State School Tax Relief STAR program, as well as exemptions for seniors, veterans, and volunteer firefighters.

If the end of May deadline is missed, penalties start to accrue and instead of paying the taxes to the towns, remittances must be made through the Suffolk Comptroller’s office. “Once the tax is delinquent on June 1st, the comptroller, by law, must collect a penalty of 5% of the outstanding tax plus interest of 1% per month calculated from February 1st,” Comptroller John Kennedy noted. His office is also authorized to accept partial payments of a minimum of $200 towards any outstanding property tax bill. Taxes for the second half of the year are due January 10. Those who don’t meet their tax obligation will eventually surrender their property to the county.