St. Lawrence County lawmaker wants county to pay Ogdensburg’s legal bill

CANTON, New York (WWNY) - A legislator is calling on St. Lawrence County to pay Ogdensburg its legal fees after a lengthy court fight over collecting the city’s delinquent property taxes.

The county and city had been in a two-year legal fight over who should collect unpaid property taxes in Ogdensburg.

When the county does this for other towns and villages, it credits those municipalities for unpaid taxes. Ogdensburg wanted the same treatment, to be made whole even if people don’t pay their taxes.

In May, the state’s highest court ruled the county must collect the city’s delinquent property taxes and pay Ogdensburg’s legal bills.

Monday night, District 1 Legislator Jim Reagen told fellow lawmakers that the county needs to move on from the lawsuit and extend an olive branch.

“I made a motion to ask the county to pay what it owes to the city of Ogdensburg. We had a spirited discussion,” he said.

No action was taken because lawmakers want the county attorney to weigh in.

The city’s legal bill that the county would pay is between $300,000 and $900,000.

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