Not until President Donald Trump have New Yorkers been so eager to hand over thousands of dollars to the government before it's due.

Thousands of people drove to town halls in blustery weather Wednesday to pay their 2018 county and town property taxes before 2017 ends. It's a strategy that helps people beat the new federal tax code.

New Yorkers are used to deducting their high property taxes from their federal income taxes.

But the federal bill signed into law earlier this month will limit the deduction for combined state and local income and property taxes to $10,000. It will also boost the standard deduction to $12,000 for single filers and $24,000 for couples - meaning fewer people will itemize their taxes in the future.

So people who pay early and itemize their federal taxes could get ahead of the new tax code just this one time.

"I usually pay on the last day it's due," Maria Street, of Clay, said as she stood in line at the tax collector's office Wednesday to pay her taxes on the first day due. Rob Franco, in line behind her nodded in agreement.

"My accountant recommended we do it, so not a lot of thought went into it," he said before stepping up the counter to hand his check to JoDee Kelly, the Clay tax collector.

Normally, a few hundred people prepay their taxes in Clay. This year, there could be thousands. And they have three days.

"It's insane," Kelly said.

Manlius Tax Collector Laura Peschel called it "a firestorm" as a line formed outside her window.

Lysander has decided to open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

In Clay, staff returned to work after the Christmas holiday, threw open the window and started taking money. Their voicemails are full of messages they haven't had time to listen to.

They can't extend office hours because there is no time to publicize it. Besides, they would need extra security to stay open at night because of the number of people bringing in cash, Kelly said.

Every check is made out in Kelly's name, but that doesn't mean she can pass out tax advice.

Kelly said taxpayers are coming in because they read news reports that it could be good for them, but many have not really run the math on their individual finances. Even those who had called their accountants said they weren't sure if they would be better off.

Some people have asked Kelly if they could have their money back if they change their minds.

The answer is no. It's due January 31 anyway.

This strategy only applies to county and town taxes. They are typically due in January and bills have already been printed. Onondaga County usually allows collections to start Dec. 27 - Wednesday. Tax bills are available online at Ongov.net. (Click on the box on the right that says "2018 town/county tax bills" and search for your address.)

Other counties, like Oswego, have taken advantage of a state executive order to start collecting in December. But in Oswego County, tax bills are still in the mail and not available online.

Sue Harlander is the tax collector in the town of Redfield. Five feet of snow has fallen in some parts of the town since Christmas. Still, she is answering calls in her home office and looking up the amounts for taxpayers who want to pay early. Like all tax collectors, she'll accept a check in the mail.

"They don't have to come in person to pay it here because it would be almost impossible with the snow that we've had," she said.

There has been some frustration over the inability to prepay school taxes, which are the biggest chunk of property taxes in New York. An announcement Friday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo seemed to raise that possibility, but a state tax department spokesman said it will only work in places like Suffolk County, where school taxes are already due now.

Note: January and April quarters of 2017-18 Syracuse city and school taxes can be prepaid.

Kelly said it would be impossible for most Onondaga County school districts. School tax rates are set in the summer after the state budget is set, school budgets are set, assessment rolls are set and taxpayers have had a chance to grieve their assessments.

The line in Clay had the vibe of Election Day, with couples coming in together to take part in a patriotic American duty.

But instead of talking about candidates, taxpayers were giving their opinions about whether the IRS would accept this gimmick.

Congress specifically prohibited the deduction of prepaid local income taxes, but the law is silent on property taxes. The IRS confirmed late Wednesday for the Washington Post that it would allow the early property tax deductions as long as the local government assessed the taxes in 2017.

Charlie and Jeanne Merulla prepaid for the first time. You have to plan ahead to have enough money after holidays to pay January taxes. What's a few weeks earlier, just in case?

"Nobody really knows what's going to happen next year," Charlie Merulla said. "Why screw around?"

Contact Michelle Breidenbach anytime:

|

| 315-470-3186.