Nassau County Legislator Carrié Solages, D-Elmont, has called on Valley Stream residents to boycott shopping at the Green Acres Mall on Black Friday. This comes after local property taxes increased as a result of millions of dollars in tax breaks that the mall received.
Solages wants the mall’s owner and the Hempstead Town Industrial Development Agency to renegotiate what’s known as a PILOT agreement, or payment in lieu of taxes.
“It takes two to tango. There were two parties in this deal: the Town of Hempstead and Green Acres Mall. And we are asking them to renegotiate this deal. That’s why I am asking residents to not shop at the Green Acres Mall on this Friday because the mall is hurting our community,” Solages said.
The PILOT cut $14 million in property taxes for the mall’s renovation in 2014. To make up for the loss in tax revenue, local property taxes in three Valley Stream school districts increased this month.
“We are talking about $750, $1,000, $1,300. We are not talking about junk change here,” Solages said.
Earlier this month, the Hempstead Town Board appointed six new members to its IDA board after those who negotiated the PILOT deal resigned.
