Herman Katz’s battle to reduce the property taxes on a massive contaminated site in upstate New York has finally come to a successful resolution, led by Partner David Wilkes and Senior Associate Nick Connolly. The two major parcels, which were most heavily contaminated, were reduced to effectively $0. One of the most complex and challenging property tax matters handled in New York.

The story was reported by the Times Herald-Record online on December 22nd in an article titled, “Ten-year court fight ends with 73% tax cut for polluted site of Harriman chemical plant”. Here is an excerpt from that article:

Under a deal signed by a judge this month, the town of Woodbury will declare worthless the polluted section of the 133-acre property where the factory complex once stood and cut 10% from the assessment of the other land between Route 17 and the Thruway. The owner’s 2021 property taxes will drop to about $62,000 from $246,000 as a result.

The agreement resolves a decade of litigation and marks the latest tax drop for a site formerly occupied by Harriman’s largest taxpayer, shouldering 11% of the village’s taxes before the plant closed in 2005. The property has been vacant since Nepera’s 120 abandoned structures were torn down in 2015.

The complete article can be read at recordonline.com.