lawgator1
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Trump's fight to slash the taxes on his $50 million golf course - Jan. 18, 2017
He's currently suing Ossining to try to lower the taxes on one of his golf courses, Trump National Golf Club Westchester.
"He pays [his taxes] every year with a stamp that says 'paid under protest,'" said Gloria Fried, Ossining's receiver of taxes. Trump argues that Ossining is taxing him based on a property value that's way too high.
This isn't the first time Trump has fought a property valuation. In fact, CNN found thatit's part of a pattern -- he's fought the tax assessments of all 12 of his U.S. golf courses except the one in Bedminster, New Jersey. On that course, he raisesgoats to qualify for a New Jersey farmland tax break.
No wonder he doesn't want anyone to see his tax returns.For now, Trump is paying taxes on the course based on its assessed property value, which the town says is $15.1 million dollars. In the lawsuit, Trump says the property is worth just $1.5 million. That would mean a much smaller tax bill.
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In financial disclosure records that he released in 2015, Trump said the course was worth $50 million, far more than the $1.5 million value he's put on it in court.
Fried, Ossining's receiver of taxes, told CNNMoney she can't believe Trump is now saying the property is worth so little.
"A golf course that's surrounded by $1 million homes and the course [itself] has the same value?" Fried asked.
It could be years before Trump'slawsuits are resolved, though Gonzalez says the town is willing to negotiate and settle. But there's no indication that Trump plans to drop the suit.
He added that if Trump were to put his course up for sale, its market value would be about $45 million.