Jeremiah Cross
By John T. Ryan
Peru – This is a busy time of year for Peru’s assessor. if you visit the Peru Town Hall on a Tuesday you’ll likely find our assessor Jeremiah Cross either on the phone or meeting with a Peru resident. The Town of Peru contracts with Clinton County for assessment services. When he’s not in Peru, Cross is either in Chazy or the County’s Real Property Office in Plattsburgh.
Jeremiah Cross replaced Tim Surpitski as Peru’s assessor on January 1, 2018. It was a difficult year to assume the job because NYS required Peru to undergo a mass reassessment meaning every residential property in the town had to be reassessed. The state continuously monitors all property sales prices to ensure that properties are assessed at 100% or very close to 100% of value. At a certain point the state requires towns to undergo a mass reassessment; Peru’s prior mass reassessment was done in 2014. Cross explained, “The town’s overall assessed value increased by $15 million. Generally residential values increased by 4%, but it differed by neighborhood. Peru is divided into six neighborhoods, plus the lakeshore. Assessments in the subdivisions went up as high as 8%, others went up from 2% to 5%. No neighborhoods decreased in value.” Assessments changed on 2,314 properties.
Cross pointed out that an increased assessed value doesn’t necessarily mean increased taxes. Government spending, the desirability of a neighborhood and other factors play a role.
Peru’s 180 commercial properties were not subject to the mass reassessment because so few commercial properties change hands that it’s difficult to determine property values. Commercial assessments can be based on a business’s income and expenses; however, the assessor does not have the legal authority to require this information. Businesses typically provide the data when they believe their property has been overvalued. Cross said most communities encourage commercial development. He commented, “Commercial development is good. A town gets more sales tax revenue and it creates jobs meaning more people want to live in the town.”
Surprisingly, Cross receives more questions about tax exemptions than he does property assessments, especially the Enhanced Star program and the exemptions available to low income senior citizens and the disabled. Beginning January 1st Enhanced Star applications must be filed with the New York State Office of Taxation and Finance rather than local assessors, but local assessors will continue to accept applications for other exemptions.
Jeremiah Cross encourages people to stop by his office. He commented, “Speak to me, ask questions. If there’s an issue of not understanding something I‘d be more than happy to give them the knowledge I have.”
Jeremiah Cross can be reached in Peru on Tuesdays from 9 a.m to 3 p.m. at 518-643-2745 Ext. 4. People are welcome to call him on Wednesdays and Thursdays at his Chazy office at 518-846-7544 Ext. 3. On Fridays he can be reached at the Clinton County Real Property Office 518-565-4760.
