City of Auburn seeking information from property owners ahead of 2026 reassessment
The city of Auburn is gathering more information from property owners ahead of the citywide reassessment in 2026.
City Assessor Jeanne Hering told the Auburn City Council Thursday that her office has already sent about 3,000 mailers to property owners requesting data. So far, 550 have been returned.
"People are being very cooperative with it," Hering said. "I received thank you notes, believe it or not, that we're doing this."
The information will not be used to change assessments for 2025, according to Hering. But it will ensure the city has accurate information to prepare for its 2026 reassessment.
The city also receives state aid based on the responses to the mailers. The more that respond, the more state aid the city can get.
There is no penalty for property owners who don't return the mailers, Hering said, but it means the assessor's office must "use our best judgment" when doing the assessments.
Hering explained what will happen when the city conducts its reassessment in two years. Taxes for most property owners will remain about the same, she said. However, there will be people whose taxes increase (if they were underassessed) or decrease (if they were overassessed).
As an example, Hering showed the current value of taxable properties ($1,267,395,757) and the tax rate, which is $11.28 per $1,000 of assessed value. It is projected that assessments will increase by 55% in 2026, meaning that the value of taxable properties will rise to $1,964,463,423. If the tax levy remains the same, the tax rate will decrease to $7.28 per $1,000 of assessed value.
A home that's now valued at $100,000 will be reassessed at $155,000. Although the assessment is higher, with the lower tax rate, the owner's tax bill won't change.
The last citywide reassessment was completed in 2022. Auburn Mayor Jimmy Giannettino noted that the city does the revaluation every four years.
In other news
• The Auburn City Council passed a resolution urging Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state Legislature to continue providing $50 million in unrestricted aid to municipalities.
Auburn received more aid in the 2024-25 state budget — the first increase in 16 years. However, it was categorized as temporary assistance. City officials, along with other local government leaders across the state, hope it continues.
• Giannettino joined a letter led by the New York Conference of Mayors asking Hochul to increase arterial maintenance funding in her 2025-26 state budget proposal.
Auburn is one of 37 cities that have arterial maintenance agreements with the state. The state reimburses cities for maintaining the roadways, but the rate — 85 cents per square yard — has not increased since 1987.
The New York Conference of Mayors proposed increasing the reimbursement rate to $2.47 per square yard.
Hochul will unveil her 2025-26 budget proposal in January.
• Auburn City Manager Jeff Dygert announced that two residential properties, at 15 Bradford St. and 22 Barber St., were demolished. Both were "beyond reasonable likelihood of repair," he said.
Giannettino later said the city received a signed card from the Bradford Street neighborhood thanking them for demolishing the vacant home.
Government reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or . Love Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
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