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

( Mineola, NY) After months of intense negotiations, Assessor Harvey Levinson recently announced that the County’s reassessment contractor, the Cole-Layer-Trumble Company, has agreed to his request to reduce their existing four-year $18.2 million technical support contract to a two-year $4,999,900 contract for 2005 and 2006, saving the County approximately $13 million dollars!

“I am extremely grateful to County Executive Thomas Suozzi, Presiding Officer Judith Jacobs and the legislative majority for their support of my efforts,” stated Assessor Levinson. “I would especially like to offer my thanks to Legislator David Denenberg for his personal guidance throughout my negotiations with the County contractor.”

Recognizing the need to reduce the County’s reliance on outside contractors, Assessor Levinson embarked on a major reorganization of the Department of Assessment and began a nationwide search to hire the assessment professionals needed to assume many of the departmental responsibilities outsourced during the previous administration. The renegotiated contract recognizes Assessor Levinson’s successful transition to performing future reassessments in-house through his aggressive non-partisan hiring practices and restructuring of Department of Assessment operations.

“With the continued support of the County Legislature, I know that we will become a model of the highest standards of assessment practices for municipalities throughout the country,” concluded Assessor Levinson.