N.Y. Suffolk County Tax Act § 45: Sale of property for unpaid taxes

§ 45. Sale of property for unpaid taxes. If the owner, mortgagee or

occupant of or party in interest in such real estate does not pay such

tax or assessment, with the costs, additions and charges, within the

period stated in such advertisement, then the county treasurer shall,

without further notice, commence the sale of lands specified in such

notice of sale on the day set for that purpose and continue the sale

from day to day until every such lot or parcel is sold. Such lands shall

be sold for an amount sufficient to pay all the taxes and assessments

due thereon for the years for the taxes of which said sale shall be made

with interest thereon to the time of sale, and all costs, expenses and

charges accrued thereon and, subject to reductions as herein provided,

said amount paid for such property shall carry and bear the maximum

interest and penalties as follows: six per centum on the purchase price,

if redeemed within six months of date of sale. An additional six per

centum on the purchase price if redeemed after the expiration of six

months and within twelve months of the date of sale. An additional six

per centum on the purchase price if redeemed after the expiration of

twelve months and within a period of eighteen months of date of sale. An

additional six per centum on the purchase price if redeemed after the

expiration of eighteen months and within a period of twenty-four months

of date of sale. An additional six per centum on the purchase price if

redeemed after the expiration of twenty-four months and within a period

of thirty months of date of sale. An additional six per centum on the

purchase price if redeemed after the expiration of thirty months and

within thirty-six months of date of sale. The rate of interest at which

any person or persons shall offer to take the lot or parcel of land to

be sold shall be established by his bid. The rate thus established shall

be the rate of interest for every period of six months or fraction

thereof up to the time of the redemption of the property purchased until

the expiration of three years, plus all taxes paid by the purchaser with

interest thereon at six per centum per annum to the date of payment. At

such sale, rates of interest shall be bid in multiples of one per centum

or a flat bid of no interest whatsoever and parcels shall be sold and

bid upon separately. If more than one person bids the same rate of

interest, the county treasurer or person conducting such sale shall sell

the parcel to whichever of such bidders as he in his sole discretion

shall determine. In any case, however, and as to any parcel, the county

may reject any and all bids and bid in and purchase the same for the

county at a rate of interest as shall be established by resolution of

the county legislature, but not to exceed the maximum rate of interest

as herein provided in which event the bid of the county shall be

preferred over all other bids. The county shall likewise be deemed the

purchaser at the rate of interest as herein provided for of all parcels

which are not sold at sale. The county legislature may by resolution

exclude from such sale such parcels as it determines where the county

has entered into any agreement concerning the disposition of tax liens

thereon with a tax district or other person pursuant to section one

hundred sixty-six-a of the tax law or other provisions of law. The

foregoing rates of interest shall be applied whenever those rates are

greater than the rates of interest as established in section thirteen-c

of this tax act.