Rye Schools Confirm They Cannot Accept Tax Prepay; City Of Rye is Accepting Prepay

This continues to be a busy week for various taxing authorities and accountants in the wake of the new Trump tax overhaul.

Rye City Schools Wednesday night re-confirmed it will not be able to accept prepayment of taxes for the 2018-2019 school year (taxes for the 2017-2018 year have already been collected).

"We are truly sorry not to be able to offer prepayment of 2018-19 school taxes, but want to assure you we have exhausted every legal avenue possible," said Eric Byrne, Rye School Superintendent.

The detail is explained below in an email issued by the school district.

The City of Rye is able to accept 2018 tax prepayment – learn more and remember this must be completed ASAP.

(PHOTO: Rye Taxpayers are not smiling.)

From: Eric Byrne 
Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2017 
To: Rye City School District Recipients 
Subject: Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order Re: Prepayment of Property Taxes

Dear RCSD Parents and Guardians:

The Board and I have spent a great deal of time consulting with the District’s legal counsel since the passage of the federal tax legislation.  Over this time, we have also worked closely with the New York Association of School Business Officials, the New York School Board Association and the New York Council of School Superintendents, and the conclusion is that we do not have a legal option that permits us to receive prepayments of school taxes related to the 2018-2019 school year. 

For those of you have contacted us seeking further clarification about Governor Cuomo's Executive Order 172 of December 22, 2017, regarding prepayment of property taxes by New York citizens before January 1, 2018, we are providing some additional information below:

·     The Executive Order does not allow for the prepayment of school taxes for the 2018-19 school year (July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019). Unlike villages, towns and counties, a school district's fiscal year runs from July 1-June 30

·     Further, in accordance with New York Law, prior to the collection of taxes, school districts are required to construct a school budget, seek approval of the budget by voters, finalize the tax warrant, and set the tax levy

·     The Executive Order does not modify or suspend any of these Education Law requirements for the adoption of a school budget

·     The Buffalo News and other newspapers throughout New York State have reported that the Governor's "idea" that school taxes could be prepaid for the 2018-19 school year was "walked back" and limited by the executive branch. On December 22 the paper reported, The Cuomo administration later in the day said the governor's idea was directed at other localities, such as towns as well as the Big Five School Districts [Buffalo, NYC, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers and Utica], and not the other 695 school districts across the state

The RCSD has already collected all school taxes for the 2017-18 school year. Some other school districts have not done so and may be permitting prepayment of the second portion only of 2017-18 school year taxes.

We are truly sorry not to be able to offer prepayment of 2018-19 school taxes, but want to assure you we have exhausted every legal avenue possible.

Best regards,
Eric Byrne, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools