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Approximately five months ago the
Civic Association had a meeting about the impending Nassau
County Reassessment. There were representatives from Cole - Layer
- Trumble Company, the county's private assessment company,
Legislator David Denenberg and Tax Assessor Charles O'Shea. It was
explained that the County wide reassessment was
mandated by court order, resulting from a tax suit. It was
also brought out that the County had decided to use a "Market
Value System". The speakers at the meeting stated that a
third of owners were expected to go down, a third stay the same and
a third have their taxes go up. They also stated that this was
due to unfair taxing which brought on many tax suits which cost the
County a lot of money. They also stated that many homes in Garden
City and Sands Point were significantly undervalued as they
hadn't been reassessed since 1938.
At that meeting, I
raised my hand and stated that I personally knew about this system
as my wife and I own a home in Florida and it is assessed on Market
Value. I explained that a Market Value System is a highly
discriminatory way of taxing property. I stated that from my
experience in Florida, properties inland which are the same size
land and building as ours were assessed substantially lower even
though the same size properties require the same services from the
county. I asked Mr. O'Shea if the county could do the
assessments at building value [the cost of a home which is
1200 square feet, takes 300 two by fours to build on a
2100 square foot lot]. He stated that it could be building value but
the county decided to use Market Value. I stated that with Market
Value, square foot for square foot, we in Point lookout were
probably just as expensive as Sands Point and that our
taxes would
probably about double. I also stated that
with Market Value it becomes an automatic tax increase
every year as the assessments would automatically be raised in
conjunction with area home sales. Again I have personal experience
in Florida with this discriminatory system as they raise my
assessment every year. When I call to complain they tell me,
Mr. Wondsel we didn't raise your taxes, its just that "in
your area" the sales of homes have gone up and
therefore the value of your home is higher. It shouldn't matter
what area we live in. Equal size homes should be taxed equally!
They are also quick to state that the tax rate is the same. It
doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that if you raise the
assessment, and the tax rate is the same the result is higher taxes.
In the last six years alone they have more than doubled my
assessment. Last years increase was $600.00 in taxes and I just
got an estimated $38,000.00 increase in assessment for
this coming year which will result in about another $500.00 rise in
taxes.
On August 6th, the notices of
assessments started coming out with many of doubling taxes. That
night Legislator Denenberg and Legislator Zapson were at our Fire
District meeting. I stated to Mr. Denenberg that
unfortunately my prediction was right on target. He stated that the
Market Value Assessment was dictated by the State. On the 7th of August
I received our assessment and it more than doubled to $459,000.00
with a nearly $3400.00 tax increase. I immediately called
Assemblyman Weisenberg,s office and spoke directly with Assemblyman
Weisenberg. I asked if the State mandated Market Value
assessment. He said definitely not that it was a decision of
the county. I then called Senator Skelos's office and posed the same
question. Senator Skelos's assistant said she would call Albany to
research whether or not this was so. She called me back the next day
and stated preliminary check indicated it wasn't. She called me back
on Friday to state that Market Value Assessment was not required by
the State.
I called for an appointment with
Cole - Layer - Trumble Company, for a meeting on August
21st. At the meeting, I was not given comparables but fortunately
had some of my own. I noted that the home directly across the street
sold for $325,000.00 two years ago and it is on the same size
property with the same amount of rooms and a garage which our
house doesn't. The appraiser was polite and promised nothing.
On Thursday August 23rd, my wife
and I went to the civic meeting to protest the Market Value
Assessment and request a Building Value Assessment which would
be fair to the whole county. I also wanted to disseminate
information that I had received since the last meeting. The newest
statement at the meeting which is troubling was that the Judge
ordered Market Value Assessment. If this is correct, it needs to be
taken to a higher court, as this is very discriminatory on the
judges part. I personally think that if the judge ordered Market
Value Assessment, it would have been published long ago. It seems
every time you turn around someone states that the State is to blame,
Mr. O'Shea is to blame or now the Judge is to blame. Although I
care whose to blame, more importantly, it needs to be fixed. One of
the items I wanted to address is that we are already paying
more than we should in Lido and Point Lookout. Approximately
70% of our land is off the tax rolls. You might ask what's that got
to do with our taxes. Well who do you think is paying for the costs
of Fire Protection, Water Supply and Sewer Service for the Town and
County Parks, Federal, State and City of Long Beach School
District.The answer is you and I pay the lions
share. The Town and County Officials may tell you they pay but
believe me, it is miniscule. People have asked why I didn't speak at
the meeting? To which I had to reply, I raised my hand numerous times during
the meeting but unfortunately was not recognized once.
In closing, there is no question
in my mind that the County had to do a reassessment. It should have
done it years ago. The county shouldn't have waited to be told by a
judge to do it. Newer homes were being assessed too high creating
inequities and the lawyers were having a field day with challenges
which cost us many tax dollars. But the remedy is not the
discriminatory Market Value System but rather the fair Building
Value System. Equal sized homes should be assessed equally, no
matter were they are located. There are many retired seniors and
others on fixed incomes in Point Lookout. This Market Value System
could make it impossible for them to stay in Point Lookout.
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