The Nassau Assessment system is in crisis.
A massive backlog of claims has developed, especially with high-dollar commercial grievances (appeals). Virtually every grievance is resolved by the county by giving the home owner the maximum reduction to his/her Assessed Value. Honest negotiations are not involved.
As a consequence, tax rates are soaring! Local taxes are not declining. Moreover, long delays have occurred involving refunds for over-assessed residential/commercial properties.
Other problems include poor customer service, not enough educational outreach programs by the Department of Assessment to businesses and individuals, software issues, etc.
Under County Executive Mangano, our assessment system has become a financial shell game.
So, what can be done about assessment?
First and foremost, we must have a qualified, educated and experienced professional to be our county assessor. Right now we have an acting assessor who lacks the education, work experience qualifications and competence to actually be appointed as an assessor.
Additionally, we must be sure that the grievance process is fair and that any reductions given are truly warranted. Currently, individual property owners are paying millions of dollars directly to County Executive Ed Mangano’s political cronies for filing their grievance applications.
Property owners may think that they have successfully lowered their tax bills. In reality, these same people have seen higher and higher tax bills every year, in spite of any assessment reductions.
The Republicans think they can fool Nassau’s taxpayers by saying they are “freezing” their assessments. But our residents know for a fact that their taxes have not been “frozen” at all.
In fact, our tax bills have increased on average over 20 percent during the past three years!
Ed Mangano’s “fixing” assessments is more like “rigging” assessments to benefit outside contractors and lawyers while taking advantage of county employees and homeowners.
The [county] Department of Assessment and the county government are simply drifting without having a plan on assessment. Providing us with a fairer assessment system cannot be accomplished in a day.
But we do know what should be done to put the program on the right track. Backlogs in settlements can be reduced through fair negotiations and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
Educational outreach to the people and businesses can teach what assessment is all about and how exemptions can benefit everyone. Giving the department greater resources to do valuations properly will be crucial in the years ahead. The Department can also streamline the whole assessment process to make it more efficient and simple.
Don’t we all need and deserve strong and competent leaders to represent us in Nassau County?
Don’t we want our elected Legislators to demonstrate a sincere desire to “get it right” at the Department of Assessment?
Don’t we all really believe that we can do better by electing individuals who have proven that they are strong, competent and caring? Shouldn’t we expect the individuals we elect to be honest with us?
Please join me in giving a resounding “Yes!” to all these questions and let’s begin to make Nassau County great again by voting for all the Democrats on Row A on Election Day.
Dolores Sedacca
Candidate for Nassau County Legislator, District 9
