By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA — The Massena Central School board will vote next month on offering a 485A property tax exemption identical to one the village and town boards recently passed.

The exemption give a 12-year tax break on development for mixed-used commercial/residential properties. The tax break covers assessment increases on the new development with a minimum $10,000 increase. It would grant a 100 percent break on any assessment hike for the first eight years, then trickle down in yearly increments to a 20 percent break by the 12th year.

The municipal breaks must be within the town and village of Massena. If the school passed theirs, it would apply to areas of the district in the towns of Louisville and Brasher as well.

Board members had mixed feelings on the exemption.

“I don’t like the fact that it’s 12 years, but I would be in favor of it,” Trustee Loren Fountaine said. “We have to actually have people be interested in the area.”

Board president John Boyce said he was leery of the 485A because it passes the tax burden onto other payers.

“Everybody else pays the difference,” Boyce said. “I’m not a huge fan of PILOTs and I would rather give a PILOT than this and give 12 years … I see this as a way to duck taxes rather than draw businesses in.”

Superintendent of Schools Patrick Brady said they will vote on it at their February meeting. They have until March 1 to decide, he said.