Contact Albany for support on assessment plan

When I took office on January 1, 2010, I knew Nassau County was in bad shape. Our residents are overtaxed, we're facing a $286 million deficit that was caused by government waste, and our property tax assessment system is broken.

I listened to residents tell me time and again that they simply could not afford to pay any more taxes. So, on Day One I repealed the Home Energy Tax that was imposed on our residents, which saves more than $39 million. I also eliminated a 13 percent tax hike that was planned by the previous administration. 

Then, in April, I signed an Executive Order that stopped Nassau County's annual assessment system and replaced it with a four-year cyclical system that begins in 2011. 

This is part of a plan that will, once and for all, reform Nassau County's oppressive Real Property Tax assessment system. This system has resulted in more than $1 billion - yes, billion - being wasted in correcting past assessment errors, which accounts for more than half of the county's debt. Our children are already in debt because of this never-ending cycle of assessing, challenging and borrowing. 

It costs taxpayers a total of $250 million each year, and the average home and business owner pay 30% more in county property taxes to fund this broken system - a shameful waste of money! My reforms will finally give taxpayers the right to correct their taxes before the government demands payment. However this is only the first step, and there's still a long way to go. 

That's why I need the help of our residents. Call or write your senator, or Assembly representative, and ask them to support my plan to fix our assessment system. There is zero time left, and reform must happen now. 

I don't have to tell you that these are tough times in Nassau County. But, by working together and putting aside partisan agendas, Nassau County will begin to move in the right direction again. Together, we can and will fix Nassau County.