July 16, 2007

Legislator Mangano Supports Petition to Force
Nassau Legislature to Consider Five Year Property Assessment Freeze

Nassau County Legislator Edward P. Mangano and the Republican legislators have started a petition drive to compel the legislature’s Democratic Majority to hold hearings on a Republican proposal that would review the county’s current program of annual property reassessment in favor of a longer period of time between reassessments. 

Earlier this year, the nine Republican members of the Nassau County Legislature sponsored a new law that would freeze property reassessment for five years.  During this period, a homeowner’s assessed valuation could decrease but never increase unless capital improvements were made by the homeowner, such as adding a dormer.

“To date, the Democratic Majority has refused to schedule a hearing on this important issue.  Residents of Nassau County have worked hard to build a life for themselves and the pressures of excessive tax increases are making it impossible to enjoy this life. We need to come to together and review reassessment and the associated hidden tax before it is too late,” said Legislator Mangano.

Anxious for action, Legislator Mangano and his fellow Republican legislators have turned to provisions of the Nassau County Charter and government law that would require the county legislature to schedule a public hearing on a proposed local law upon the submission of a petition signed by more than 2,000 qualified county voters.   

The legislators and candidates are circulating this petition throughout all nineteen legislative districts in the county to obtain the required signatures.  “After speaking with residents, I have found that the majority of people agree the current system could use some fine-tuning and support moving away from annual reassessments.  I remain hopeful that the Democratic Majority will join us in a bipartisan effort to bring tax relief and maintain an assessment system that is both fair and understandable,” said Legislator Mangano.