Empire Center: North country's property tax burden (slightly) lower than median

The north country's property tax burden is lower than the median in the state, according to a report from the Empire Center for New York State Policy, but much of that comes from contributions from low tax rates outside of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

Here's the report, which opens in a pdf.

North country residents pay a median of $24.57 per $1,000 of assessed property value in taxes. That's a smidge below $27.43, the state's median.

Meanwhile, in the north country in general, St. Lawrence County residents are far and away the highest in the region. Of the 20 municipalities in the region, 18 are in St. Lawrence County.

Village of Potsdam residents pay the most in the county, at $49.89 per $1,000 assessed value.

Essex County has some of the lowest property tax burdens in the county, with 11 municipalities in the top 20.

Compared to St. Lawrence County, Jefferson County is doing just fine.

The town of Orleans in the Indian River school district has the fourth-lowest tax rate in the region, at $12.18 per $1,000. Also among the bottom 20 are the town of Alexandria in the Indian River school district (sixth, at $12.33), the town of Pamelia in the Indian River school district (eighth, at $12.47), the town of Theresa in the Indian River school district (16th, at $14.06), the town of LeRay at (19th, at $14.69) and the town of Henderson in the Belleville-Henderson (20th at $14.79).

The revelations come at a time when the three men in the room (Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos) are working toward a property tax cap. Or not working toward it; Mr. Silver is said to be negotiating a weaker property tax cap, while Mr. Skelos doesn't seem keen on negotiating at all.

The cap would limit property tax increases to 2 percent annually. A 60-percent vote could break through the cap. You'd just have to find 60 percent of residents to raise taxes on themselves.

Click here to figure out what your exact municipality's property tax rate is, and its rank statewide. You can also compare it to other jurisdictions.