Referred to:  The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Cahill, Criswell, Roberts, and Ronk)

Legislator Megan Sperry offers the following:

          WHEREAS, Resolution No. 261 of 2003 adopted a Reacquisition Policy allowing owners of residential, business, or commercial properties to recover their property after tax foreclosure and public auction but before the Legislature approves the sale to another person under certain conditions; and

WHEREAS, such policy encourages continuity of ownership of residences and businesses and at the same time ensures the County receives an amount in excess of the highest bid at auction or the amount of unpaid taxes, penalties and costs, whichever is greater; and

WHEREAS, such policy was last updated pursuant to Resolution No. 169 dated April 20, 2021 for the purpose of including language concerning buyers’ premiums in the event of an online auction; and

WHEREAS, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the public auction was conducted online in the best interest of public health and to safely continue conduction of county business; and

WHEREAS, conversely, conducting an online property auction allows for national corporations and those with the financial means to buy several properties who live in distant locations from Ulster County, with the easy ability to purchase UC properties with the intention to make a profit and/or utilize properties for short term rentals; and   

WHEREAS, conducting the public auction online does not encourage and promote opportunity for local residents to acquire available properties; now, therefore, be it

           RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature hereby adopts the updated Reacquisition Policy, as amended, to prohibit online public auctions, in the form as attached and entitled “Exhibit A”,

and move its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                         NOES:    

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on _____________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE