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Latimer Family Owes Nearly $42,000 In Property Taxes

This story has been updated.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer, seated, chats with business leaders before a speech last Wednesday, explaining why the county needs to raise property taxes by 2 percent to balance next year's budget.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer, seated, chats with business leaders before a speech last Wednesday, explaining why the county needs to raise property taxes by 2 percent to balance next year's budget.

Photo Credit: Jon Craig
A screenshot of from Rye City Hall on the latest tax status for 60 Roosevelt Ave., which lists Robin Phelps Latimer, the county executive's wife, as its owner.

A screenshot of from Rye City Hall on the latest tax status for 60 Roosevelt Ave., which lists Robin Phelps Latimer, the county executive's wife, as its owner.

Photo Credit: City of Rye

County Executive George Latimer's wife owes nearly $42,000 in county, city and school taxes on the estate, according to public records.

Robin Latimer's mother, Alice Phelps, resided at 60 Roosevelt Ave. in Rye, a home that Latimer's wife inherited after her death.

In these public records, Robin Phelps Latimer is listed as owner of the property -- and owes at least $35,531 in Rye City School District taxes for six years dating back to 2012; 6,053 in city taxes plus some penalties for three years; and $5,814 in county taxes for two years.

Latimer released a statement on Monday, Dec. 3 that said: “The issue is a personal matter, not a public one. This dispute in my wife’s family over the house, that I am not the owner of, was raised as a political issue by my opponent in the 2017 campaign, and it has been raised again to deflect from the strong first year record of this administration.

“The matter has no bearing on the accomplishments of this administration, and its reoccurrence represents the lack of legitimate public policy disagreements they can raise after our first year in office," Latimer said in Monday's statement.

During his winning 2017 campaign against incumbent Republican Rob Astorino of Mount Pleasant, Latimer pointed out that his name is not on the deed and called the unpaid taxes an unresolved family dispute involving his wife that has gone before a judge. 

Public records show the Latimers' property taxes are paid up on their primary residence in the City of Rye.

Public records also show that county taxes totaling $2,992 due on May 31 were paid two months late, requiring an additional penalty of $150 on July 31, 2018.

A spokeswoman for the Rye City School District said RCSD collects taxes two times a year - in August and November -- but on June 30, the end of  its fiscal year, any unpaid taxes are turned over to the City of Rye, and the School District is made whole by the City, which is ultimately made whole by the state of New York, where Latimer previously served as a state Assemblyman and state Senator.

A spokeswoman for Latimer called the timing of this story curious since the county executive recently proposed a 2 percent increase in county property taxes.

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