Recently, you have received your tax bill delivered by the Postal Service and/or via email. We have received many calls about increases in certain portions of this bill. Here is the explanation:

The Town of Cortlandt’s portion of your tax bill is just 10% of your entire property tax bill. 75% goes to pay your school taxes. Approximately 15% goes to pay your County taxes. Hence, only 10% of your entire tax bill is for actual town taxes. Town taxes increased just by 3.6% in 2025, well below the New York State “Tax Cap”, and less than the inflation rate, and far less than most of our neighboring communities. We are still maintaining a less than 1% on average increase over the last 20 years, and we have been below the Tax Cap every year since it’s inception in 2011.

However, The Town tax bill does also include non-town taxes. In addition to the County and school taxes, there are separate taxes for the libraries, fire districts and other special districts, including water and sewer, ambulance services, fire protection, lighting and parks districts. The Town does not have control over the tax levied by these other agencies. For example, those residents in the Mohegan Lake Fire District will see a significant increase this year. Because we are strictly a collecting agency for these other entities, questions about any increase in special district taxes should be directed to that specific entity .

Finally, we encourage residents to take advantage of the various exemptions that are available to senior citizens, veterans, volunteer firefighters, persons with disabilities, as well as STAR (Basic and enhanced) programs.

1.   Senior Citizen Exemption

2.   Veterans Exemption

3.   Persons with Disabilities and Limited Incomes

4.   Volunteer Fire Fighter and Ambulance Worker

5.   STAR (Basic & Enhanced) [School Only]