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

( Mineola, NY) Each year, thousands of solicitations are mailed to Nassau County homeowners from property tax services companies and attorneys who tout their ability to help you lower your property assessment and tax bill. The price for their services is usually 50% of your first year savings! The catch, according to Assessor Harvey Levinson, is that you will be writing a check for hundreds of dollars to a company or attorney when you could be filing yourself.

In most cases, according to Assessor Levinson, the solicitors ask a homeowner to sign an acceptance of terms agreement on a postcard or mailer without first being offered the opportunity to meet with the so-called “tax specialist.” The binding contract locks the homeowner into what appears to be an “industry accepted non-negotiable fee of 50%” of the first year of savings agreement.

“When you consider that these ‘tax protest specialists’ made tens of millions of dollars in fees in previous years, there seems to be no end in sight for these computer-generated mass appeals to solicit and generate income for these businesses,” stated Assessor Levinson. “Even with the new and improved fair market assessed values that will be filed on January 3, 2005; I well understand that some homeowners may, nevertheless, have legitimate issues regarding their property’s assessment. Since the form and process have been simplified and costs the taxpayer nothing, homeowners should give serious consideration to filing on their own.”

Assessor Levinson went on to state that homeowners who file assessment challenges themselves have the same, if not a greater, success rate than “professional protest specialists.” “As the homeowner, you are in the best position to understand the negative location influences that may reduce the overall value of your home,” stated Assessor Levinson. “Many of these negative influences could be that a house is located next to a gas station or fast food restaurant, on a busy street, near a railroad or a cell tower, or the home is in below average condition.”

A disturbing new development within the tax protest industry is that one of these companies is now soliciting unsuspecting homeowners (who have not filed and may qualify for the Basic STAR school property tax relief) with an offer to prepare and file an application for a fee of 100% of the first year’s tax savings! Depending on the school district were the home is located, a taxpayer could wind up paying over $1,400 to the “tax reduction consultant.” Assessor Levinson warned homeowners that there is no filing fee and Department of Assessment personnel are always available to answer any questions regarding the process and form.

“Before signing on the dotted line with a ‘property tax specialist,’ I urge any resident who has any questions regarding the STAR property tax exemption to contact my office before the exemption period for the 2005-06 assessment roll closes on January 3, 2005,” concluded Assessor Levinson. “Applications are available on the Department of Assessment Website at www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/assessor/ or may be obtained by contacting the Exemptions Division at (516) 571-2377 or 571-2364.”

Property owners who would like to challenge their home’s assessed value may file, on their own, an Application for Correction of Property Tax Assessment from January 3rd to March 1 st at no cost. The application and instructions will be available on-line at www.nassaucountyny.gov/arc/ , most public libraries and the Department of Assessment starting January 3rd.