Establishes a real property tax exemption for surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty

Property tax relief for surviving police spouses

New York law creates a local-option property tax break for surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty. It covers the spouse’s owned primary home. Counties, cities, towns, and villages must adopt a local law; school districts must adopt a resolution. The exemption covers 50% of the home’s assessed value, unless the adopting jurisdiction chooses a lower percentage. The law uses the Criminal Procedure Law’s definition of police officer. Property held in trust also qualifies when it benefits only people who qualify as direct owners. Cooperative owners can receive relief based on their share of the building’s assessment. For cooperatives, the municipality must approve the exemption after a public hearing, and the corporation must credit the tax savings to the owner. Cooperative residents in housing covered by Private Housing Finance Law articles 2, 4, 5, or 11 are excluded. The Commissioner must work with the Division of Criminal Justice Services to list documents that prove eligibility. The list must reach local assessor offices and appear on that division’s and the Office of Real Property Tax Services’ websites. The law takes effect January 1 of the year after enactment and applies to taxable status dates on or after then.