[CPEO-BIF] Web supported auction of BF properties

["Hersh, Robert" <hersh@WPI.EDU>]

County plan to sell tax delinquent brownfields

Suffolk Life Newspapers
Feb. 21, 2007

By George Wallace

Suffolk County, NY
 
Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy said this week that his administration is
hoping that the next few months will see the kickoff of the county's "tax
lien strategy" for cleaning up brownfield sites.  

According to Carrie Meek Gallagher, the county's commissioner of the
Department of Environment and Energy, the Levy administration met last week
to unveil rules and regulations for a project that targets key properties in
the county that have pollution problems and, because there are back taxes
owed on them, could be sold to entrepreneurs for the price of the tax lien.
They would then be responsible for the cleanup of the property and resell it
to others for new use.

A centerpiece of Levy's environmental goals, as declared in this month's
State of the County address, the plan is to conduct the county's first-ever
auction for the sale of tax liens on brownfields. Private parties will be
able to take possession of abandoned, polluted sites by simply paying the
back taxes owed to the county. They will assume the risk, provide the cleanup
and place the property back on the tax rolls. 

In conjunction, the Legislature passed a bill sponsored by Legislator Wayne
Horsley (D-Lindenhurst), authorizing the county's Department of Information
Technology to develop a webpage to assist in the tracking and sale of tax
delinquent brownfield properties in Suffolk. The goal, said Horsley, is
simple - "to get brownfields identified, cleaned and back on the tax roll. By
creating a website with the status, lien auction date, and other pertinent
information, we are facilitating cleanup and making it easier to conduct
business in Suffolk County," he said.

Called the Brownfield Clearinghouse, the website will inform the public as to
which properties are considered brownfields, and when tax liens to these
properties will be auctioned. The website will also describe the status of
brownfield sites, creating a clearinghouse for private companies to review
land that may become available at the county public auction.

For the entire article, see:
<<http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17878387&BRD=1776&PAG=461&dept_id
=6365&rfi=6>>


Bob Hersh
CPEO









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