New York Consolidated Laws, Tax Law - TAX § 514. Secrecy of returns

The bureau shall fix as the upset price to be realized at the sale of any property upon a claim absolute, the sum of (a) the tax liens of the Commonwealth, (b) the amount of the claim absolute and interest thereon on which the sale is being held, (c) the amount of any other tax claim or tax judgment due on such property and interest on the judgment to the date of sale, (d) the amount of all accrued taxes including taxes levied for the current year, whether or not returned, a record of which shall be furnished to the bureau by tax collectors, receivers of taxes and taxing districts, (e) the amount of the municipal claims against the property, and (f) the record costs and costs of sale, including pro rata costs of the publication of notice and costs of mail and posted notices in connection with the return of the claim and mail and posted notices of sale.

It shall be the duty of all taxing districts, and municipal authorities having municipal claims against any such property, to certify, by August 30 of the year of the scheduled sale, the amount thereof to the bureau for the purpose of including the same in the upset price.  If a taxing district or municipal authority fails to certify the amount of any municipal claim which has become a claim against the property prior to August 1 of the year of the scheduled sale, the claim shall be divested by the upset sale, notwithstanding any provision of this act to the contrary.

No sale of property shall be made by the bureau unless a bid equal to the upset price is made.  If no bid equal to the upset price is received, the sale shall be continued without further advertisement in order to give the bureau a chance to sell the property at private sale, or to petition court for an order to sell the same, freed and discharged of all liens as hereinafter provided.  No upset sale may be continued beyond the end of the calendar year, and no property may be sold at private sale or judicial sale unless the property has first been exposed to upset sale and was not sold at upset sale.