Media Contact: Randolph Yunker - (516) 571-2490

Assessments and LIPA

LIPA Chairman Richard Kessel's recent public statements attempting to link me with hundreds of millions of dollars in higher electric bills and saying that I am proposing to raise property taxes are disingenuous, inaccurate and a feeble attempt to deflect attention from the real issues at hand.

As the Nassau County assessor, my responsibility is to ensure that the county's more than 415,000 properties are assessed as accurately as possible, so that every property owner pays a fair share. I do not set budgets or raise taxes.

The LIPA chairman's primary complaint stems from the fact that I have recently determined that a KeySpan power-generating facility in Glenwood Landing is not entitled to use the umbrella of LIPA's property exemption and have placed it on the assessment roll. LIPA's objections and impending financial responsibilities stem from its agreement with KeySpan to assume responsibility for KeySpan's tax obligations for the power facility.

KeySpan's site has not paid property taxes since the facility became operational in 2002. Based on current utility tax rates, LIPA's contractual property tax obligations are estimated to be approximately $7 million to the North Shore Central School District, the county and Town of Oyster Bay. Homeowners and businesses are paying a greater share of property taxes to offset the loss of millions of dollars owed by the for-profit utility. This is unconscionable.

If the LIPA chairman truly believes - as I do - that property taxes are out of control, I hope he will join me in calling for Gov. George Pataki to appoint a nonpartisan blue-ribbon committee to study my proposal to reform the school property-tax system as we know it in Nassau County and, perhaps, the state.

HARVEY B. LEVINSON