Clarkstown Retains Law Firm to Handle Tax Certiorari

At its final meeting of 2011, the Clarkstown Town Board voted to eliminate the position of deputy town attorney and hire a private law firm to handle the workload.

Supervisor Alex Gromack said the decision was made to save money as part of an ongoing consolidation of government services.

Deputy Town Attorney ’s contract was not renewed and expired on December 31, 2011.  Last year, Coopersmith of Pearl River, who was responsible for most of the town’s tax certiorari matters, earned $126,590.  On Tuesday, at the 2012 Town Reorganization meeting, the board agreed to hire the White Plains law firm of Joseph J. Savino to handle all tax certiorari matters for Clarkstown for an annual retainer of $87,000.

Gromack had estimated the could save between $75,000 and $80,000 in salary and benefits by using an outside firm.  The board’s Tuesday vote decreased the town attorney’s salaries account by $87,000 and increased the town attorney fees for services account by $87,000.  The initial draft of the 2012 budget allocated $150,000 for tax certiorari, compared to $80,000 in the 2011 amended budget.