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For years, the Trump National Golf Club Westchester in Briarcliff was the subject of a battle with the local government over its property tax bill, where the property’s value was inflated by the Trump Organization as part of a scheme that is being investigated by the Westchester District Attorney and New York Attorney General.
Following a victory in court in the summer of 2021, the Trump club pressured locals to strike a deal while simultaneously cutting its assessed value by a third, meaning it can claim it overpaid taxes and local governments were forced to pay.
In total, local organizations and government officials agreed to pay approximately $850,000, with the hardest hit being the Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District, which was compelled to pay the largest share at $588,155.12, according to a Daily Beast report.
According to district officials, there will be no cuts to any schools or programs, and instead, the bill is being passed along to area homeowners, who will pay the bulk of the costs.
In total, taxpayers are expected to pay upwards of an additional $250 next year in the area for a golf course that was not popular to begin win and now have to subsidize.
“This is freaking annoying that a scoundrel won’t pay taxes,” an unnamed official said to Daily Beast. “My taxes are higher because his taxes are lower.”
The Trump deal is also the reason the Briarcliff Board of Education opted to increase its budget by 1 percent in the fall, allocating a half-million dollars to “judgment and claims,” compared to approximately $20,000 in previous budgets.
“It’s not a drop in the bucket,” another official stated. “It’s a lot of money for a school district, even a well-resourced school district. Just because we settled doesn’t mean we're happy about it.”
Click here to read the complete Daily Beast report.
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