Nassau County is trying to help residents figure out its new property reassessment plan. Some will see tax increases, others decreases, but the process is overwhelming for most.
Nassau County has set up offices where people can have one-on-one meetings with a county tax expert to explain their increases and what options they have to deal with the reassessment plan.
One of those offices was set up at a public hearing last night.
“I’m trying to get a feeling of how the process works, I’m retired and so is my wife. The kind of increase I am looking at based on what they’ve sent so far is scary,” said Gus Lodato, a retired firefighter who lives with his wife in Mineola.
The county sent Lodato a notice that warned him of the change, but he wanted details from an expert.
“He showed me a whole breakdown of why they got to their figures, as to what they think my house should be worth now, and what it is going to project to be.”
After sitting with the expert, he feels comfortable planning for the future, but he isn’t happy. Lodato and his wife live on a fixed income so any change in their taxes means adjusting their budget.
Donald Clavin, an elected official serving as the Hempstead receiver of taxes, said this one-on-one system will only help ten to fifteen thousand property owners...but the reassessment affects hundreds of thousands.
“The way to do it is to have public meetings where you'll have hundreds of peoples showing up. Let residents ask their questions and let their neighbors hear their questions, so they’re all on the same page at the same time.”
But County Executive Laura Curran, who started the reassessment plan, said everyone will get the help they need.
“We’ve got satellite offices all over the county. So we actually can get it done one-on-one, so this is a very efficient way of getting it done. For people to get their questions answered with privacy, not in a big room with a lot of people”
The system has also brought good news. Patricia Giudice said she found out her property taxes are actually going down.
“My market value has gone up $134,000, now wouldn’t you think you were going to get an increase? But Mike [the tax expert] showed us we’re not.”
She won’t see an increase because she has been gradually overpaying taxes for years.
According to county data, about 52 percent of residents will see an increase in their taxes, while 48 percent will see it lowered.