Endicott Huron Tax Debate

7/26/2012 (Updated 6:55:35 PM)

An Endicott official says the village might have dissolved if a major commercial landlord gets the tax break it wants.

Huron Real Estate bought the former IBM campus a decade ago.

Now attorneys are petitioning to have the taxable value of the property reduced, which would significantly lower their tax bill.

But trustee Dave Baker says losing that money, around 1-and-a-half million dollars, would be devastating to the village.

"There are only so many things we can do....we can either raise taxes significantly to offset the loss in revenue, we can find another revenue source. Please help me...help me find another revenue source...I'll take any suggestion I can get...or we may have to look at dissolving the village," says Endicott Trustee Dave Barker.

The village is also taking legal action so they can take part in the negotiations.

Huron wants everyone involved to sign a non disclosure agreement, but village officials don't want to do that.