In May 2014, it was revealed that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s girlfriend, Sandra Lee, “failed to obtain building permits for renovations at their six-bedroom home in New Castle.”
By dodging these building permits, Cuomo and Lee’s cozy $1.2 million abode was able to skirt reassessment after the renovations were completed, which kept their property tax bill down.
But after Lee was flashing these renovations and upgrades in interviews and magazines, town officials decided a reassessment was duly needed. As a result, Cuomo and Lee will have their property tax increase by an estimated $8,200—from $28,312 to $36,500—on their home.
Quite the dramatic increase for a Governor who attempted to make property tax reform a focal point of his first term.