Triggered Doctoroff Flap
Finance Aide Moves To Standards Board

By REUVEN BLAU

Assistant Finance Commissioner Dara Ottley-Brown - who cited a Deputy Mayor's intervention as the reason the city switched its hotel tax assessment methodology - was named as a Commissioner of the city Board of Standards and Appeals Sept. 27.

DANIEL DOCTOROFF: At center of controversy.

It is unclear whether Ms. Ottley-Brown's six-year appointment to the board, which primarily handles building zoning law variances, is a promotion or demotion for the former Assistant Commissioner.

'Parking Her There'

"Dara was in charge of 200 people," a Finance source asserted. "They are parking her there to get her out of the way."

The new assessment system, which resulted in multi-million-dollar reductions in tax obligations for multiple hotels, has been assailed by national tax valuation experts. A City Comptroller's investigation of the issue concluded, however, that the simplified approach was "appropriate."

City Assessors who were concerned by the drastic decreases complained to Ms. Ottley-Brown, who reportedly responded during three separate meetings that Deputy Mayor Daniel L. Doctoroff had specifically requested that the department change the methodology used for assessing hotels.

The Finance Department has categorically denied that Mr. Doctoroff had anything to do with the decision to change the valuation methods. The department has also stressed that the overall hotel valuations were up 8.3 percent, and that only 10 percent of the hotels examined this year had their valuations decreased. Asked last week to set the record straight, Ms. Ottley-Brown responded, "I cannot speak to the press." Shortly thereafter, she was unanimously confirmed to the fivemember board by the City Council. Susan Hinkson, a Borough Commissioner at the Department of Buildings, was also approved for a board seat at the hearing.

Finance: No Connection

Finance officials rejected the notion that Ms. Ottley-Brown's move was connected to her reported comments regarding the hotel tax assessment system. "I think it's a great opportunity for her," said Sam Miller, an Assistant Finance Commissioner. Ms. Ottley-Brown was nominated for the post by the Mayor's Office, he added.

A political observer familiar with the board noted that it has the power to allow developers to build bigger buildings despite zoning restrictions. "We certainly have some influence on the shape of New York City," said John Reisinger, the board's general counsel.

In her absence at Finance, Fadil Brija will be the Acting Assistant Commissioner for the Property Division "while we search for a permanent Assistant Commissioner," Mr. Miller said.