Toll-free voicemail: 888-829-3188
FAX (315) 673-9835
E-mail: taxcollector@townofspafford.c

TAX NOTICE

The Town and County Tax bills will be mailed out at the end of December to property owners without escrow accounts. If your bill was requested by a bank, the tax information was sent to the bank and not to your home. If you should have received a bill and did not, please contact the Tax Collector so a copy can be sent to you. The Town and County Tax bills are payable from January 1 to January 31 without penalty. The Real Property Tax Law prohibits the waiver of a late fee, even if the property owner did not receive a tax bill.

DUTIES OF THE SPAFFORD TAX COLLECTOR

The tax collector collects the Town and County property taxes in January. The bills are mailed out in late December. The tax bill covers the period of January 1st-December 31st. Payments can be made upon receipt of bill through January 31st without penalty.

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PENALTIES FOR LATE PAYMENT

Starting February 1st there is a 1% penalty. Fees for March are 1.5%. If taxes are unpaid as of March 15th, a second notice of taxes due is sent, and an additional charge of $1.00 will be levied, and become a part of the amount due.

After March 31st, all unpaid taxes are returned to Onondaga County, Chief Fiscal Officer, Civic Center 15th floor, PO Box 1004, Syracuse, NY 13201-1004. Fees start at 6% and are increased each month until taxes are paid.

Question: I never received my bill, or received it late. Do I still have to pay the penalty?

If you did not receive a bill, or received it late, you are still responsible to pay late penalties. New York State Real Property Tax Law 922 states the failure to mail a statement or the failure of the property owner to receive a statement will not affect the validity of the taxes or interest prescribed by law.

Neither the Tax Collector nor any other official has legal authority to waive statutory penalty charges. These are fixed by the Real Property Tax Law. There must be no exceptions.

Question: If I mail my payment on the due date do I have to pay a penalty?

If taxes are not received until after the due date, they are not paid until after the due date, unless they fall within the provisions of section 925 of the Real Property Tax Law, and the penalty must be added and collected. No town official or employee can waive the penalty (Op. New York State Comp. 68-626).

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PAYMENTS

Payments may be made in person by check or cash at the Tax Office located at Spafford Town Hall. Payments can also be made by mail to: Spafford Town Hall, 1984 Route 174, Skaneateles, NY 13152. We do not accept payment by credit card. Please do not send cash through the mail.

THIRD PARTY NOTIFICATION OF TAX BILLS

Property owners who are disabled or age 65 years or older, and own a one, two or three-family home, may designate an adult consenting third party to receive duplicate copies of tax bills and notices of unpaid taxes. In order to receive this service, you must fill out form RP-923, which is available in the Tax Office, or download from this website.

EXEMPTIONS

Questions about STAR and Veterans exemptions should be directed to the Town Assessor, Kim Gridley at 315.673.9559, or the Spafford Town Clerk.

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ERRORS ON TAX BILL

Questions should be directed to the Town Assessor, Kim Gridley at 315-673-9559.

ESCROW

For residents who have their taxes escrowed with lending institutions--

It is the responsibility of the lending institution to notify the county of any additions or deletions of accounts. Many banks contract with the Tax Service Organizations (TSOs), which are agencies that service escrow accounts for the banks. These organizations provide us with a list of their customers and their identifying account numbers.

In the event that a resident received a bill that should have gone to the bank, it is still the responsibility of the bank to call for that bill. If the bill should have gone to the homeowner, but went to the bank, it is the homeowner's responsibility to know that the taxes are due. Please call or email the tax office immediately and a duplicate bill will be issued to you.

The failure to mail a statement or to receive a statement will not affect the validity of the taxes or interest prescribed by law. (New York real Property Tax Law 922). If you should have received a bill, but have not during the first week of January, please contact this office for a duplicate bill. 

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PARTIAL PAYMENTS

The Town of Spafford tax office does accept partial payments. The first payment must be at least 50% of the total bill paid by the last day without penalty. Each partial payment must be at least 50% of the balance plus the current penalty. Town and County tax can be paid in 4 payments. No delinquent taxes may be due on the property. No partial payment can be accepted if the bill is less than $50.00.

PRE-PAYMENT OF TAXES

Collection of taxes cannot begin prior to the date of the tax warrant. 'The warrant must be regarded as the instrument which empowers the collecting officer to begin the collection.' Onondaga County tries to sign in the last week of December to enable property owners the opportunity to pre-pay in current year.

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DELINQUENT TAXES

Between January 1 and March 31st, pay your current year town and county taxes to your town tax receiver/collector.

Payment of delinquent County/Town taxes for properties located outside the City of Syracuse:

Make checks payable to "Chief Fiscal Officer"

Mail Payments to:

Onondaga County Department of Finance
Revenue and Tax Collection Unit
P.O. Box 1004
Syracuse NY 13201-1004

In Person Payment:

Onondaga County Department of Finance
John H. Mulroy Civic Center - 15th Floor
421 Montgomery St.
Syracuse NY

Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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SKANEATELES SCHOOL TAXES

School tax bills are collected by the Skaneateles Tax Office for the Skaneateles Central School District. School tax bills are mailed in early September by the Skaneateles Tax Office.

PARTIAL PAYMENT OF SCHOOL TAXES

School tax can be paid in 3 payments.

For more information, call Lauri Milne, the Skaneateles Tax Collector regarding payment of Skaneateles School taxes, at 315-685-8148, or e-mail her at lmilne@townofskaneateles.com.

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