To the editor:

I am responding to Steven Bratone’s letter of Feb. 12 regarding his late school tax payment, for which he was imposed a 10% penalty. I want to clarify that the due date for school taxes is Sept. 1. Long ago, the Town of Pelham, like many other towns in Westchester, passed a resolution to allow property owners to pay the school tax in two installments. The reasoning for this was that the school tax bill was much higher than other taxes, comprising approximately 60% of the annual real estate taxes. 

The first half school tax payment is due on Sept. 1 and can be paid without penalty until Sept. 30. The second half school tax payment can be paid any time between Sept. 1 and the following Jan. 31 to avoid penalty. If the second half school tax payment is not made by Jan. 31, it is considered late (by New York State law) as of the previous Sept. 30, not Feb. 1 as was stated in Bratone’s letter to the editor. 

The Town of Pelham “Schedule for Penalties” is on the tax bills, and is the same as several other towns in Westchester County. Some municipalities in Westchester County have much higher penalties. The penalty schedule is mandated by the laws of Westchester County, Section 542 of the Laws of 1948, Chapter 852; amended by the Laws of 1958, Chapter 715, and the Laws of 1962, Chapter 386. The penalties are mandated by New York State Law, and this law provides that the tax receiver cannot waive penalties on real estate taxes after the due date, for any reason (Real Property Tax Law Section 924a and Westchester County Law 283.221). 

The Pelham Examiner’s community guidelines state that if a reader finds an error that the request for a correction will be reviewed by the editor and writer of the article, and if confirmed, it will be corrected. I hope Bratone’s letter to the editor will be corrected to state that the payment was many months late, not 11 days late. 

I would also add that as the functions and employees of the Town of Pelham are completely open and transparent to the public, that stories involving the Town of Pelham would deserve the benefit of having important government facts verified before they go to print. It can be done with a simple phone call. Thank you. 

Catherine Mazzaro

243 Elderwood Ave.