Judge orders New York City to restart secondary-home tax rollout

A Staten Island judge ruled on Tuesday that New York City must restart its rollout of a tax on expensive secondary homes, overturning the city's initial attempts at collection. The judge sided with a group of homeowners who had sued the city, citing confusion and unfair burden placed on homeowners to prove their residences were primary.

The city's department of finance erroneously released a supplemental list of properties potentially subject to the tax and sent letters to 17,000 homeowners claiming they owed the tax. Judge Wayne Ozzi ordered the department to remove the supplemental list from its website, cancel the letters, and use accurate information to send out individualized notices to those who actually owe the tax. The new tax is projected to bring in $500 million per year for the city.