The article in the Jan. 28, 2011 edition, EW joins suit to keep county guarantee, dealing with the elimination of the county’s guarantee of tax refund payments, does not mention the fact that Nassau County is the ONLY county in the state, maybe the nation, to repay taxes erroneously paid to school districts, towns and special districts due to incorrect assessments.
Since the 1940s the county has picked up the tab for this. Nassau County receives about 17 percent of the real property taxes collected countywide, but must pays ALL of the refunds for tax grievances.
Nassau County Schools receive about 70 percent of the taxes collected; they pay NONE of the refunds for tax grievances.
Nassau County towns and special districts receive approximately 13 percent of the taxes collected; pay NONE of the refunds for tax grievances.
Why should the county pay for refunds for other municipalities? The cost of tax refunds is paid by homeowners whether it is in their county, town or school taxes.
Presently with the county guarantee, residents of East Williston pay for refunds for taxes paid to other school districts throughout the county.
Residents of our district, which has a smaller commercial tax base, unfairly pay the cost of refunds to districts with large commercial tax bases. Taxpayer in the East Williston School District now pay for refunds of school tax paid by large commercial entities and, at the same time, the East Williston Union Free School District never receives a dime in taxes from these large commercial entities.
Since East Williston School District has a relatively small commercial tax base, ending the guarantee will mean that East Williston residents will no longer pay refunds for school taxes that East Williston never received.
Once again, the superintendent and the board of the East Williston School District are not acting in the best interests of the taxpayers of the East Williston School District.
Taxpayers in the East Williston School District will be forced to pay for litigation initiated by Superintendent Lewis and the East Williston School Board which is not beneficial to the district taxpayers.
Business as usual for the East Williston School District.
Anne Reiser
East Williston
